Meaning
1. To press hard or squeeze between the ends of the fingers, the teeth, claws, or with an instrument, _c.
2. To squeeze or compress between any two hard bodies.
3. To squeeze the flesh till it is pained or livid.
4. To gripe; to straiten; to oppress with want; as, to pinch a nation; to pinch the belly; to be pinched for want of food.
5. To pain by constriction; to distress; as pinching cold. The winter pinches.
6. To press; to straiten by difficulties; as,the argument pinches the objector.
The respondent is pinched with a strong objection.
7. To press hard; to try thoroughly.
PINCH, v.i. To act with pressing force; to bear hard; to be puzzling. You See Where the reasons pinch.
1. To spare; to be straitened; to be covetous.
The wretch whom avarice bids to pinch and spare,\par Starve, steal and pilfer to enrich an heir.
PINCH, n. A close compression with the ends of the fingers.
1. A gripe; a pang.
2. Distress inflected or suffered; pressure; oppression; as necessity's sharp pinch.
3. Straits; difficulty; time of distress from want.
