Finesentence

Pinch Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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pinch

pinch

🇺🇸 /ˈpɪntʃ/ · 🇬🇧 /pˈɪntʃ/

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

cooking

A pinch is the small amount of an ingredient that you can hold between your thumb and first finger.

Synonyms

dash, smidge, smidgen.

Examples of usage

  • I added a pinch of salt to the soup.
  • She sprinkled a pinch of pepper into the sauce.
Context #2 | Verb

hurt

If something pinches you, it squeezes or presses your skin tightly between a hard surface and a bone.

Synonyms

compress, nip, squeeze.

Examples of usage

  • The new shoes were pinching his toes.
  • She pinched her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Quick facts about “pinch”

Pinch is a 1-syllable noun and verb. It is pronounced /ˈpɪntʃ/ in American English and /pˈɪntʃ/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 6 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #10,904 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'pinch'

The word 'pinch' has its origins in the Old English word 'pinċan', meaning to prick or sting. Over time, its meanings have expanded to include both a small amount of an ingredient and the act of squeezing or pressing tightly. The word has been used in English for centuries, evolving to encompass various contexts and nuances.

See also: pin, underpin.

Rhymes

Pinch rhymes with grinch, linch, synch, inch, winch, flinch, clinch and lynch.

See all rhymes →

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,904, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.