/ stɪtʃ; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] one of the small lines of thread that you can see on a piece of cloth after it has been sewn; the action that produces this :
Try to keep the stitches small and straight.
—picture at embroidery
2.
[ C ] one of the small circles of wool that you make around the needle when you are knitting :
to drop a stitch (= to lose one that you have made)
3.
[ C , U ] (especially in compounds) a particular style of sewing or knitting that you use to make the pattern you want :
chain stitch
4.
[ C ] a short piece of thread, etc. that doctors use to sew the edges of a wound together :
The cut needed eight stitches.
5.
[ C , usually sing. ] a sudden pain in the side of your body, usually caused by running or laughing :
Can we slow down? I've got a stitch.
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IDIOMS
- in stitches
- not have a stitch on | not be wearing a stitch
- a stitch in time (saves nine)
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to use a needle and thread to repair, join, or decorate pieces of cloth
SYN sew :
Her wedding dress was stitched by hand.
( figurative )
An agreement was hastily stitched together (= made very quickly) .
2.
stitch sth (up) to sew the edges of a wound together :
The cut will need to be stitched.
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PHRASAL VERBS
- stitch sb up
- stitch sth up
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English stice a puncture, stabbing pain , of Germanic origin; related to German Stich a sting, prick, also to the verb stick . The sense loop (in sewing etc.) arose in Middle English .