PINCHINGS

Noun

pinchings

plural of pinching

Source: Wiktionary

PINCHING

Pinch"ing, a.

Definition: Compressing; nipping; griping; niggardly; as, pinching cold; a pinching parsimony. Pinching bar, a pinch bar. See Pinch, n., 4.

– Pinching nut, a check nut. See under Check, n.

PINCH

Pinch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pinched; p. pr. & vb. n. Pinching.] Etym: [F. pincer, probably fr. OD. pitsen to pinch; akin to G. pfetzen to cut, pinch; perhaps of Celtic origin. Cf. Piece.]

1. To press hard or squeeze between the ends of the fingers, between teeth or claws, or between the jaws of an instrument; to squeeze or compress, as between any two hard bodies.

2. o seize; to grip; to bite; -- said of animals. [Obs.] He [the hound] pinched and pulled her down. Chapman.

3. To plait. [Obs.] Full seemly her wimple ipinched was. Chaucer.

4. Figuratively: To cramp; to straiten; to oppress; to starve; to distress; as, to be pinched for money. Want of room . . . pinching a whole nation. Sir W. Raleigh.

5. To move, as a railroad car, by prying the wheels with a pinch. See Pinch, n., 4.

Pinch, v. i.

1. To act with pressing force; to compress; to squeeze; as, the shoe pinches."

2. (Hunt.)

Definition: To take hold; to grip, as a dog does. [Obs.]

3. To spare; to be niggardly; to be covetous. Gower. The wretch whom avarice bids to pinch and spare. Franklin. To pinch at, to find fault with; to take exception to. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pinch, n.

1. A close compression, as with the ends of the fingers, or with an instrument; a nip.

2. As much as may be taken between the finger and thumb; any very small quantity; as, a pinch of snuff.

3. Pian; pang. "Necessary's sharp pinch." Shak.

4. A lever having a projection at one end, acting as a fulcrum, -- used chiefly to roll heavy wheels, etc. Called also pinch bar. At a pinch, On a pinch, in an emergency; as, he could on a pinch read a little Latin.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition