stitch

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A sharp pain usually felt on the right side, immediately below the rib cage. It occurs mainly when exercising upright, for example when running. A stitch often develops during the early stages of exercise and subsides as exercise continues, but the pain may be so severe that it is impossible to continue. Relief can be gained by supporting the abdominal wall, or by lying down with hips raised. The exact cause of a stitch is unknown but it may be due to lack of oxygen to the muscles used in breathing (particularly the diaphragm and intercostals). Factors that increase the likelihood of a stitch include jolting the body, starting an exercise at too high an intensity, eating and drinking before exercise, weakness of the abdominal wall, and lack of training. See also cramp.

noun

A sensation of physical discomfort occurring as the result of disease or injury: ache, pain, pang, prick, prickle, smart, soreness, stab, sting, throe, twinge. Informal misery. See pain/pleasure.

Idioms beginning with stitch:
stitch in time, a

In addition to the idiom beginning with stitch, also see in stitches; without a stitch on.

A sharp pain commonly in the side of the abdomen or ribcage. Stitch often occurs early during exercise and subsides as exercise is continued, but the pain may be so severe that the exerciser is forced to stop. The exact cause of a stitch is unknown, but it may be due to lack of oxygen in respiratory muscles, particularly the diaphragm and intercostals, due to insufficient blood flow. Stitches are also associated with jolting the body, and are made worse by eating a meal before exercising. There is no simple remedy, but a stitch can sometimes be relieved by supporting the abdominal wall (e.g. by pressing a hand against the abdomen), or by lying down with the hips raised. Although stitches have no serious medical significance, they are a great inconvenience to athletes. See also cramp, caecal slap syndrome.

IN BRIEF: One in-and-out movement of the needle in sewing.

With fingers weary and worn, With eyelids heavy and red, A woman sat in unwomanly rags Plying her needle and thread,— Stitch! Stitch! Stitch! — Thomas Hood (1798-1845)

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sign description: The F-handshape makes a stitching motion along the top of the opposite hand.

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verb trans
verb trans

to stitch (someone) up:
a: To cause to be wrongfully arrested, convicted, etc., esp. by informing, fabricating evidence, etc. (1970 —) .
New Society Both Sheila and Gary have many stories of being 'stitched up' by the police or fleeced. Gary says the Dip Squad—the special police patrol looking for pickpockets—are 'a bunch of wankers' (1977).

b: To swindle; to overcharge. (1977 —) .
Woman After shelling out £1.50 for a fold-up version [of an umbrella] she found that she'd been stitched up....Two spokes were broken (1977).

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A loop made in sewing or suturing.

• s. abscess — see stitch abscess.

For a list of words related to stitching, see:

• Fashion, Trim, and Sewing - stitching: small loops of thread or yarn used to fasten garment parts

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See words rhyming with "stitcher."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Stitch.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - sting, maske
v. tr. - sy, hæfte
v. intr. - sy, hæfte

idioms:

• a stitch in time    et sting i tide
• in stitches    ved at dø af grin

Nederlands (Dutch)
steek, hechting, kleding, stikken, hechten

Français (French)
n. - point, maille, (Méd) point de suture, point de côté, (US) être tordant (fam)
v. tr. - coudre, (Méd) recoudre
v. intr. - suturer, coudre, recoudre

idioms:

• a stitch in time    un point à temps (en vaut cent)
• in stitches    (faire rire) aux larmes
• stitch together    (lit) assembler, (fig) assembler rapidement, concocter rapidement
• stitch up    (lit) recoudre, (GB) monter un coup contre qn

Deutsch (German)
n. - Stich, Masche, Muster, Heftung
v. - sticken, nähen, heften

idioms:

• a stitch in time    Vorsicht (ist besser als Nachsicht)
• in stitches    sich vor Lachen kugelnd
• stitch together    nähen
• stitch up    ausbessern, vernähen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - διαπεραστικός πόνος (κν. σουβλιά, σφάχτης), γαζί, βελονιά, ραφή, (ιατρ.) (χειρουργικό) ράμμα, (καθομ.) ρουχαλάκι, χωρατατζής
v. - καρικώνω, ράβω, συρράπτω, κεντώ, (ιατρ.) συρράπτω

idioms:

• a stitch in time    έγκαιρη επέμβαση
• in stitches    ξεκαρδισμένος στα γέλια

Italiano (Italian)
applicare, suturare, maglia, punto, graffetta

idioms:

• a stitch in time    un punto a tempo
• in stitches    ridere a crepapelle

Português (Portuguese)
n. - ponto
v. - costurar

idioms:

• a stitch in time    melhor resolver problemas de início
• in stitches    fazer alguém gargalhar

Русский (Russian)
стежок, шов, петля (в вязании), немножко, минимум одежды, острая боль, колотье в боку, шить, стегать, вышивать, зашивать, накладывать швы

idioms:

• a stitch in time    своевременная мера
• in stitches    уморить (со смеху)

Español (Spanish)
n. - punto, puntada, sutura, punzada, pizca, poquito, trecho, distancia
v. tr. - pespuntear, coser, unir o adornar con puntadas
v. intr. - coser, bordar

idioms:

• a stitch in time    un remiendo a tiempo ahorra ciento, vale más prevenir que curar
• in stitches    desternillarse de la risa
• stitch together    asegurar tratos o acuerdos para el beneficio propio
• stitch up    asegurar tratos o acuerdos para el beneficio propio

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - stygn, söm, tråd, gnutta, håll (i sidan), sticksätt, stickning
v. - maska, sy, sticka söm, sy ihop, fästa ihop

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
一针, 线迹, 针脚, 针线, 缝, 编结, 绣, 联结, 固定, 缝纫, 来回移动

idioms:

• a stitch in time    一针及时省九针, 适时处理, 事半功倍
• in stitches    忍不住大笑

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 一針, 線跡, 針腳, 針線
v. tr. - 縫, 編結, 繡, 聯結, 固定
v. intr. - 縫紉, 來回移動, 編結

idioms:

• a stitch in time    一針及時省九針, 適時處理, 事半功倍
• in stitches    忍不住大笑

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 한 바늘, 한 땀, 바늘 자리
v. tr. - ~을 꿰매다, 감치다, 수를 놓다
v. intr. - 꿰매다, 바느질하다, 뜨개질하다

idioms:

• a stitch in time    제때의 한 바늘
• in stitches    배꼽을 쥐고 웃다, 포복 절도하여

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 縫う
n. - ひと針, 縫い目, 縫い方, 小さな布きれ, ほんのわずか, わき腹の激痛

idioms:

• a stitch in time    時を得た一針
• in stitches    笑いこけて

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) غرزة, وجع في الخاصرة (فعل) خيط, درز‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תפר, תך, עין (בסריגה), תפירה, כאב חד (במותן), בגדים, דוגמה (בסריגה)‬
v. tr. - ‮תפר, חיבר, איחה, הכליב‬
v. intr. - ‮עשה תפרים, חיבר‬

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