pinch (
http://definr.com/pinch)
n 1: a painful or straitened circumstance: "the pinch of the
recession"
2: an injury resulting from getting some body part squeezed
3: a small but appreciable amount; "this dish could use a touch
of garlic" [syn:
touch,
hint,
mite,
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]
5: small sharp biting [syn:
nip]
6: a squeeze with the fingers [syn:
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,
taking into custody]
v 1: squeeze tightly between the fingers; "He pinched her
behind"; "She squeezed the bottle" [syn:
vellicate,
squeeze,
twinge,
tweet,
nip,
twitch]
2: make ridges into by pinching together [syn:
crimp]
3: make off with belongings of others [syn:
pilfer,
cabbage,
purloin,
abstract,
snarf,
swipe,
hook,
sneak,
filch,
nobble,
lift]
4: cut the top off; "top trees and bushes" [syn:
top]