[pin.cer] n [ME pinceour, fr. (assumed) AF pinceour, fr. MF pincier to pinch, fr. (assumed) VL pinctiare, punctiare, fr. L punctum puncture--more at point] (14c) 1 pl but sing or pl in constr a: an instrument having two short handles and two grasping jaws working on a pivot and used for gripping things b: a claw (as of a lobster) resembling a pair of pincers: chela
2: one part of a double envelopment in which two military forces converge on opposite sides of an enemy position -- pin.cer.like adj