pinch
Third Person
pinches
Present Participle
pinching
Past Tense
pinched
Past Participle
pinched
1
to tightly grip and squeeze something, particularly someone's flesh, between one's fingers
transitive
- He had to pinch the bridge of his nose to alleviate the growing headache.
- The chef instructed the students to pinch the edges of the pastry to create a decorative pattern.
- When she saw the breathtaking view, she couldn't help but pinch herself to make sure it wasn't a dream.
- To wake up her sleepy friend, she decided to pinch him playfully on the arm.
2
to compress or press one's lips together, typically as a reaction to stress, tension, or discomfort
transitive
- He pinched his lips as he listened to the bad news.
- The child pinched her lips, feeling nervous before the performance.
- She pinched her lips in frustration as the deadline approached.
- He pinched his lips tightly, trying not to reveal his disappointment.
- The patient pinched her lips, feeling anxious before the medical procedure.
Synonyms:
3
to cause discomfort or distress
transitive
- The tight shoes were pinching her toes, causing discomfort throughout the day.
- The biting cold wind pinched their cheeks as they walked through the winter storm.
- The exam stress pinched her nerves, making it difficult to concentrate.
- The memory of the accident still pinched his mind.
- The sharp criticism from her boss pinched her self-esteem.
Synonyms:
4
to remove the growing tip or end portion of a plant to encourage branching or bushier growth
transitive
- To encourage a more compact shape, she regularly pinches the tips of her potted geraniums.
- The florist pinched the ends of the rose stems to encourage lateral growth and more blooms.
- As the lavender plant grew taller, she pinched the top shoots to prevent it from becoming leggy.
- To shape the bonsai tree, the gardener carefully pinched the new growth at the tips.
- In order to create a dense hedge, he pinched the tips of the young shrubs as they grew.
Synonyms:
5
to take something in a somewhat sneaky manner
transitive
- I realized that someone had pinched my pen from my desk.
- She pinched a few candies from the jar without her mother noticing.
- He pinched some money from his brother's wallet to buy video games.
- They were caught trying to pinch merchandise from the store.
- He pinched some cookies from the cookie jar before dinner.
6
to take someone into custody
transitive
- The police pinched him for shoplifting at the supermarket.
- They pinched the suspect after he tried to flee the scene of the crime.
- The officers pinched the gang members during the raid.
- I heard they pinched John last night for driving under the influence.
- The detectives pinched the suspect as he tried to board the train.