n.
Pronunciation: ' pinch
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French *pincher, pincer
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to squeeze between the finger and thumb or between the jaws of an instrument b : to prune the tip of (a plant or shoot) usually to induce branching c : to squeeze or compress painfully d : to cause physical or mental pain to e (1) : to cause to appear thin, haggard, or shrunken (2) : to cause to shrivel or wither
2 a : to subject to strict economy or want : STRAITEN b : to restrain or limit narrowly : CONSTRICT
3 a : STEAL b : ARREST
4 : to sail too close to the wind
intransitive verb
1 : COMPRESS , SQUEEZE
2 : to be miserly or closefisted
3 : to press painfully
4 : NARROW , TAPER <the road pinch ed down to a trail ― Cecelia Holland>
– pinch pennies : to practice strict economy