/pɪntʃ; pɪntʃ/
v
1 [Tn, Tn.pr]
(a) take or hold (sth) in a tight grip between the thumb and finger 捏, 掐（某物）
*He pinched the child's cheek playfully. 他捏那孩子的脸颊玩.
(b) hurt (sb) by holding his flesh in this way 掐, 捏, 拧（某人）
*The child was crying because somebody had pinched her. 那孩子哭了, 因为有人掐她.
* I was so amazed I had to pinch myself in case it was all a dream. 我非常惊讶, 连忙掐了自己一把看是否这一切都是一场梦.
(c) have (sth) in a tight grip between two hard things that are pressed together 夹紧（某物）
*The door pinched my finger as it shut. 关门时把我手指夹住了.
2 [I, Tn] (esp of shoes) hurt (sb) by being too tight （尤指鞋）夹痛（某人）, 夹脚
*These new boots pinch (me). （我 觉得）这双新靴子挤脚.
3 [Tn] ~ sth (from sb/sth) (infml 口) take sth without the owner's permission; steal sth 擅自拿走或偷窃某物
*He's been pinching money from the cashbox. 他一直在偷钱箱里的钱.
* Who's pinched my dictionary? 谁把我的词典拿去了?
4 [Tn esp passive 尤用于被动语态] (sl 俚) (of the police) catch and arrest (sb) （指警察）捉住, 逮捕（某人）
*He was still carrying the stolen goods when he was pinched. 抓住他的时候他身上还带着赃物.
* get pinched for driving while drunk 因醉酒开车被逮住.
5 (idm 习语) pinch and `save/`scrape live in a very miserly way 省吃俭用
*Her parents pinched and scraped so that she could study singing abroad. 她父母省吃俭用好让她出国学习声乐. Cf 参看 scrimp and save (scrimp).
6 (phr v) pinch sth off/out remove sth by pinching 掐掉某物
*pinch out the weak shoots on a plant 掐掉植物上发育不良的芽
* pinch off the dead flowers 掐掉凋谢的花.

n
1 act of pinching; painful squeeze 捏; 掐; 拧; 夹; 挤
*She gave him a pinch (on the arm) to wake him up. 她掐了他（胳膊）一下, 把他叫醒.
2 as much as can be held between the tips of the thumb and forefinger 能捏住或掐住的量
*a pinch of chilli powder 一捏辣椒粉
* Put another pinch of tea in the pot. 往茶　里再捏点茶叶.
3 (idm 习语) at a `pinch just possibly, in a case of necessity 必要时
*We can get six people round this table at a pinch. 必要时这张桌子可以坐六个人. feel the pinch => feel1. if it ,comes to the `pinch in a case of necessity or in an emergency 必要时; 紧急时
*If it comes to the pinch, we shall have to sell the house. 实在不行我们只好把房子卖了. take sth with a pinch of salt think that sth is not likely to be true; not wholly believe sth 认为某事物不大可能属实; 对某事物半信半疑.