pinch

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The idiom at a pinch, meaning 'if absolutely necessary', is the British English form; in American English it has the form in a pinch.

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A measuring term referring to the amount of a dry ingredient (such as salt or pepper) that can be held between the tips of the thumb and forefinger. It's equivalent to approximately 1⁄16 teaspoon. See also dash.

verb

1. To be severely sparing in order to economize: scrape, scrimp, skimp, stint. Idioms: pinch pennies, tighten (one's) belt. See save/waste.
2. To take (another's property) without permission: filch, pilfer, purloin, snatch, steal, thieve. Informal lift, swipe. Slang cop, heist, hook, nip¹, rip off, snitch. Idioms: makewalkoff with. See crimes, give/take/reciprocity.
3. To take into custody as a prisoner: apprehend, arrest, seize. Informal nab, pick up. Slang bust, collar, run in. See law.

noun

A seizing and holding by law: apprehension, arrest, seizure. Slang bust, collar, pickup. See law.

Idioms beginning with pinch:
pinch hitter
pinch pennies

See also feel the pinch; in a pinch; with a grain (pinch) of salt.

n

Definition: predicament
Antonyms: advantage, blessing, good fortune

n

Definition: very small amount
Antonyms: lot

v

Definition: arrest
Antonyms: free, release

v

Definition: be stingy
Antonyms: be generous, give, offer

v

Definition: steal
Antonyms: give, receive

v. sail (a boat) so close to the wind that the sails begin to lose power.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

sign description: The index finger and the thumb make a pinching motion on the hand.

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verb trans.
verb trans., orig US

1: To steal (something). (1632 —) .

2: To arrest (a person). (1789 —) .
Times He explained that Heard gave him the tobacco and then put in another officer to 'pinch' him (1955). noun

3:
a: An act of theft (or plagiarism). (1757 —) .
Melody Maker A pleasant selection of Italian-sung numbers—including what sounds like a Latin pinch from Presley (1966).

b: An arrest or charge; imprisonment. (1900 —) .
H. Carmichael . Before I make a pinch I like to be reasonably sure that the charge will stick (1960).

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Next:	pine drape, pine-top, pineapple

n

A small amount of chewing tobacco (snuff) an individual takes to use the substance for its desired effect. A “pinch” is called a quid in Britain.

For a list of words related to pinch, see:

• Mining - pinch: (vb) diminish a vein to nothing
• Special Measures - pinch: a few grains, used as dry measure in cooking
• Smoking and Tobacco - pinch: small amount of chewing tobacco or snuff
• Fraud, Treachery, and Deception - pinch: (vb) Slang. steal
• Police Procedures and Detection - pinch: (vb) Slang. arrest
• Violent Actions - pinch: squeeze or compress tightly and painfully

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See words rhyming with "pinch."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Pinch.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - knibe, presse, hugge
v. intr. - blive tyndere, slippe op
n. - kniben, klemme
adj. - kneben

idioms:

• at a pinch    når det kniber
• feel the pinch    føle presset
• in a pinch    i en snæver vending
• pinch bar    træk- og løftestang
• pinch hit    vikariere
• pinch hitter    stedfortræder
• take something with a pinch of salt    tage noget med et gran salt

Nederlands (Dutch)
knijpen, knellen, kwellen, gappen, arresteren, gierig/karig zijn, snoeien, reserve-, kneep, mespuntje, diefstal, arrestatie, ontbering, versmalling

Français (French)
v. tr. - pincer, serrer (des chaussures), faucher, chiper, pincer (un crabe), (Hort) épincer (un bourgeon), (US) pincer (fam), arrêter
v. intr. - serrer (des chaussures), (lit, fig) se pincer
n. - pincement, pincée, prise (de tabac)
adj. - à la place de, de suppléant (base-ball), de remplaçant

idioms:

• at a pinch    à la rigueur
• feel the pinch    avoir de la peine à joindre les deux bouts
• in a pinch    en cas d'urgence
• pinch bar    pince-monseigneur
• pinch hit    remplacement, (Sport) jouer à la place de qn, remplacer qn au pied levé
• pinch hitter    (US) remplaçant
• take something with a pinch of salt    ne pas prendre qch pour argent comptant

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kniff, Prise, Druck, Last
v. - klauen, schnappen, kneifen, zwicken, drücken
adj. - geschlagen

idioms:

• at a pinch    wenn nötig
• feel the pinch    knapp bei Kasse sein
• in a pinch    wenn nötig
• pinch bar    Brecheisen
• pinch hit    als Ersatzspieler fungieren, einspringen
• pinch hitter    Ersatzspieler
• take something with a pinch of salt    etwas nicht ganz wörtlich nehmen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - τσίμπημα, τσιμπιά, βάσανο, πρέζα, μικροποσότητα, σταλίτσα, (μτφ.) δυσχέρεια, δύσκολη θέση, στρίμωγμα
v. - τσιμπώ, δίνω τσιμπιά, (καθομ.) κλέβω, σουφρώνω, βουτώ, στενεύω, σφίγγω, (για παπούτσια), πιάνω, συλλαμβάνω (κν. μπουζουριάζω)

idioms:

• at a pinch    στην (έσχατη) ανάγκη
• feel the pinch    ξεμένω από λεφτά, στριμώχνομαι
• in a pinch    στην (έσχατη) ανάγκη
• pinch bar    βαρύς λοστός
• pinch hit    αντικαθιστώ σε έκτακτη ανάγκη, χτύπημα από αναπληρωτή παίκτη του μπέιζμπολ
• pinch hitter    (ΗΠΑ) παίκτης του μπέιζμπολ που αντικαθιστά έκτακτα άλλον, (μτφ.) αντικαταστάτης
• take something with a pinch of salt    δεν πολυπιστεύω κάτι, έχω επιφυλάξεις για την αλήθεια των λεγομένων

Italiano (Italian)
sgraffignare, pizzicare, pizzico, pizzicoso

idioms:

• at a pinch    in caso di emergenza
• feel the pinch    sentire la crisi
• in a pinch    in caso di emergenza
• pinch bar    grimaldello
• pinch hit    sostituto di emergenza
• pinch hitter    battitore di baseball
• take something with a pinch of salt    prendere qualcosa con un grano di sale

Português (Portuguese)
n. - pitada (f), beliscão (m), aperto (m), furto (m), pressão (f), batida policial (f), prisão (f) (gír.)
v. - beliscar

idioms:

• at a pinch    num aperto, numa emergência
• feel the pinch    sofrer, estar em dificuldades
• in a pinch    num aperto, numa emergência
• pinch bar    pé-de-cabra
• pinch hit    substituir (gír.)
• pinch hitter    substituto (gír.)
• take something with a pinch of salt    acreditar desacreditando, exercer pensamento crítico

Русский (Russian)
отщипнуть, ущипнуть, щипок, щепотка, нужда

idioms:

• at a pinch    едва, с трудом
• feel the pinch    с трудом сводить концы с концами
• in a pinch    в конце концов
• pinch bar    лом с отогнутым концом
• pinch hit    заменять в случае необходимости
• pinch hitter    служить заменой
• take something with a pinch of salt    относиться с недоверием

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - birlar, robar, pellizcar, apretar
v. intr. - ser causante de pellizcos, economizar, disminuir una veta o filón
n. - pellizco, pizca, pulgarada, robo
adj. - relativo a un robo

idioms:

• at a pinch    en caso de necesidad, en un apuro
• feel the pinch    empezar a pasar apuros
• in a pinch    en caso de necesidad, en un apuro
• pinch bar    pie de cabra, alzaprima
• pinch hit    sustituto en un momento de apuro, bateo de emergencia (béisbol)
• pinch hitter    bateador suplente
• take something with a pinch of salt    admitir algo con reservas

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - nyp, nypa, trångmål, tryck, haffande
v. - nypa, hårt ansätta, pressa, tvinga, snåla, stjäla, haffa

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
掐, 修剪, 夹痛, 收缩, 节省, 捏, 撮, 替代的, 替补的, 由替补击球员完成的

idioms:

• at a pinch    在紧要关头
• feel the pinch    感到手头拮拒
• in a pinch    在紧急关头, 必要时
• pinch bar    类似撬挺的一种棒, 撬棒, 撬棍
• pinch hit    代打者击出的安打
• pinch hitter    代打者, 代替者, 代理者
• take something with a pinch of salt    对某事半信半疑

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 掐, 修剪, 夾痛
v. intr. - 收縮, 節省
n. - 捏, 收縮, 撮
adj. - 替代的, 替補的, 由替補擊球員完成的

idioms:

• at a pinch    在緊要關頭
• feel the pinch    感到手頭拮拒
• in a pinch    在緊急關頭, 必要時
• pinch bar    類似撬挺的一種棒, 撬棒, 撬棍
• pinch hit    代打者擊出的安打
• pinch hitter    代打者, 代替者, 代理者
• take something with a pinch of salt    對某事半信半疑

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 꼬집다, 못살게 굴다, 빼앗다
v. intr. - 죄어지다, 인색하게 굴다, 바닥 나다
n. - 꼬집음, 한번 집은 양, 압박
adj. - 꼬집는, 인색한

idioms:

• at a pinch    위기에 직면하여
• in a pinch    ~의 위기에 직면하여
• take something with a pinch of salt    (남의 이야기를) 에누리 해서 받아들이다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - つねること, 一つまみ, 困難, 危機, 苦痛
v. - つねる, つまむ, 締め付ける, けちけちする, 苦しめる, 困らせる, やつれさせる, 逮捕する, 摘み取る

idioms:

• at a pinch    困ったときに
• in a pinch    困ったときに
• pinch bar    こじり棒, 台付きてこ
• pinch hit    代打ヒット
• pinch hitter    ピンチヒッター
• take with a pinch of salt    本気に受け取らずに聞き流す

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قرصه, عضه, لسعه, قصه, مقدار ضئيل, سرقه, حرمان, ضيق, شدة, اعتقال (فعل) يقرص, يلسع, يسرق, يقتر, يعتقل, يبحر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮צבט, לחץ, קימץ, חסך, גנב, אסר, עצר, סחב‬
v. intr. - ‮קימץ, חסך, גנב, שייט קרוב לכיוון הרוח‬
n. - ‮כאב, קורטוב, לחיצה, קושי, מצוקה, שמץ‬
adj. - ‮של חבטות של שחקנים מחליפים או רצים מחליפים (כדור-בסיס)‬

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