Overview of noun pinch

The noun pinch has 7 senses

• pinch -- (a painful or straitened circumstance; "the pinch of the recession")


• pinch -- (an injury resulting from getting some body part squeezed)


• touch, hint, tinge, mite, pinch, jot, speck, soupcon -- (a slight but appreciable amount; "this dish could use a touch of garlic")


• emergency, exigency, pinch -- (a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action; "he never knew what to do in an emergency")


• nip, pinch -- (a small sharp bite or snip)


• pinch, tweak -- (a squeeze with the fingers)


• apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, pinch, taking into custody -- (the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal); "the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar")

Overview of verb pinch

The verb pinch has 5 senses

• pinch, squeeze, twinge, tweet, nip, twitch -- (squeeze tightly between the fingers; "He pinched her behind"; "She squeezed the bottle")


• crimp, pinch -- (make ridges into by pinching together)


• pilfer, cabbage, purloin, pinch, abstract, snarf, swipe, hook, sneak, filch, nobble, lift -- (make off with belongings of others)


• top, pinch -- (cut the top off; "top trees and bushes")


• pinch, vellicate -- (irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear; "smooth surfaces can vellicate the teeth"; "the pain is as if sharp points pinch your back")