Pinching

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪntʃɪŋ/

Definitions of pinching

verb the action of squeezing or gripping something with one's fingers or thumb

Example Sentences

A1 She is pinching her little brother to get his attention.

A2 The baby was pinching the cat's tail and giggling.

B1 I caught my coworker pinching office supplies from the supply closet.

B2 The chef was pinching salt into the pot to season the soup.

C1 The tailor was pinching the fabric to check its quality before sewing.

C2 The art critic accused the painter of pinching ideas from other artists.

Examples of pinching in a Sentence

formal She winced in pain as the doctor began pinching her arm to test her reflexes.

informal Stop pinching me, it's annoying!

slang I saw him pinching some snacks from the pantry when no one was looking.

figurative The rising cost of living is really pinching our budget this month.

Grammatical Forms of pinching

• past tense: pinched
• plural: pinches
• comparative: more pinching
• superlative: most pinching
• present tense: pinch
• future tense: will pinch
• perfect tense: have pinched
• continuous tense: is pinching
• singular: pinch
• positive degree: pinching
• infinitive: to pinch
• gerund: pinching
• participle: pinching

Origin and Evolution of pinching

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'pinching' originated from the Middle English word 'pinchen' which came from the Old French word 'pinchier'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to physically squeezing or gripping something tightly, the meaning of 'pinching' has evolved to also include stealing or taking something without permission.