Pinch - Definition

n 1: a painful or straitened circumstance; "the pinch of the
recession"
2: an injury resulting from getting some body part squeezed
3: a slight but appreciable amount; "this dish could use a touch
of garlic" [syn: touch, hint, tinge, mite, pinch,
jot, speck, soupcon]
4: a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that
requires immediate action; "he never knew what to do in an
emergency" [syn: emergency, exigency, pinch]
5: a small sharp bite or snip [syn: nip, pinch]
6: a squeeze with the fingers [syn: pinch, tweak]
7: the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal);
"the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar" [syn:
apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, pinch, taking
into custody]
v 1: squeeze tightly between the fingers; "He pinched her
behind"; "She squeezed the bottle" [syn: pinch,
squeeze, twinge, tweet, nip, twitch]
2: make ridges into by pinching together [syn: crimp, pinch]
3: make off with belongings of others [syn: pilfer, cabbage,
purloin, pinch, abstract, snarf, swipe, hook,
sneak, filch, nobble, lift]
4: cut the top off; "top trees and bushes" [syn: top, pinch]
5: 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" [syn: pinch, vellicate]