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Webster 1913 Edition

Pinch

Pinch

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pinched
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Pinching
.]
[F.
pincer
, probably fr. OD.
pitsen
to pinch; akin to G.
pfetzen
to cut, pinch; perhaps of Celtic origin. Cf.
Piece
.]
1.
To press hard or squeeze between the ends of the fingers, between teeth or claws, or between the jaws of an instrument; to squeeze or compress, as between any two hard bodies.
2.
to seize; to grip; to bite; – said of animals.
[Obs.]
He [the hound]
pinched
and pulled her down.
Chapman.
3.
To plait.
[Obs.]
Full seemly her wimple
ipinched
was.
Chaucer.
4.
Figuratively: To cramp; to straiten; to oppress; to starve; to distress;
as, to be
pinched
for money
.
Want of room . . .
pinching
a whole nation.
Sir W. Raleigh.
5.
To move, as a railroad car, by prying the wheels with a pinch. See
Pinch
,
Noun.
, 4.

Pinch

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To act with pressing force; to compress; to squeeze;
as, the shoe
pinches
.
2.
(Hunt.)
To take hold; to grip, as a dog does.
[Obs.]
3.
To spare; to be niggardly; to be covetous.
Gower.
The wretch whom avarice bids to
pinch
and spare.
Franklin.
To pinch at
,
to find fault with; to take exception to.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.

Pinch

,
Noun.
1.
A close compression, as with the ends of the fingers, or with an instrument; a nip.
2.
As much as may be taken between the finger and thumb; any very small quantity;
as, a
pinch
of snuff
.
3.
Pian; pang.
“Necessary’s sharp pinch.”
Shak.
4.
A lever having a projection at one end, acting as a fulcrum, – used chiefly to roll heavy wheels, etc. Called also
pinch bar
.
At a pinch
,
On a pinch
,
in an emergency;
as, he could
on a pinch
read a little Latin
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Pinch

PINCH

, v.t.
1.
To press hard or squeeze between the ends of the fingers, the teeth, claws, or with an instrument, &c.
2.
To squeeze or compress between any two hard bodies.
3.
To squeeze the flesh till it is pained or livid.
4.
To gripe; to straiten; to oppress with want; as, to pinch a nation; to pinch the belly; to be pinched for want of food.
5.
To pain by constriction; to distress; as pinching cold. The winter pinches.
6.
To press; to straiten by difficulties; as,the argument pinches the objector.
The respondent is pinched with a strong objection.
7.
To press hard; to try thoroughly.

PINCH

,
Verb.
I.
To act with pressing force; to bear hard; to be puzzling. You see where the reasons pinch.
1.
To spare; to be straitened; to be covetous.
The wretch whom avarice bids to pinch and spare,
Starve, steal and pilfer to enrich an heir.

PINCH

,
Noun.
A close compression with the ends of the fingers.
1.
A gripe; a pang.
2.
Distress inflected or suffered; pressure; oppression; as necessity's sharp pinch.
3.
Straits; difficulty; time of distress from want.

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