3[transitiveT] to press something between your finger and thumb 捏住;捏紧
Pinch the edges of the pastry together to seal it.
把馅饼的边缘捏紧封口。
4[intransitiveI, transitiveT]PRESS if something you are wearing pinches you, it presses painfully on part of your body, because it is too tight 〔穿的鞋等〕夹痛,挤痛
Her new shoes were pinching.
她的新鞋挤脚。
5somebody has to pinch themselvesused when a situation is so surprising that the person involved needs to make sure that they are not imagining it 某人得掐自己一下〔以证实某情况是真实的〕
Sometimes she had to pinch herself to make sure it was not all a dream.
有时候她得掐自己一下,以证明这一切不是在做梦。
6[transitiveT]British EnglishBrE old-fashionedCATCH to arrest someone 逮捕,拘捕
nGrammar
Pinch is usually passive in this meaning.
7pinch something ↔ outphrasal verbphr vto remove a small part of a plant with your fingers 掐掉,摘掉
Pinch out any side shoots to make the plant grow upwards.
pinch• She pinched her own arm until it was black and blue.• It was one of the slimmest, and the envelopes in it were pinched in slightly by the pressure of the bands.• Dad! Katy just pinched me!• Stop pinching me!• These shoespinch my toes.• These fellows for fun would pinch one and put it on another step, and do this going all down the road.• He pinched some out and cleaned it on a crumpled paper bag, not knowing what to say.• He pinched the last quarterinch of his cigarette tightly, and sucked on it so hard it squeaked.
pinch2 noun [countableC]
1pinch of salt/pepper etcLITTLE/NOT VERYa small amount of salt, pepper etc that you can hold between your finger and thumb 一撮盐/胡椒粉等
Add a pinch of salt to taste.
加一撮盐来调味。
Examples from the Corpus
pinch of salt/pepper etc• Water during a fastnauseated him and he accordingly would add a pinch of salt or bicarbonate of soda.• Add remainingcoconutmilk and a pinch of salt and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.• Luckily a pinch of salt got rid of them, leaving behind a blood-stained sock.• I take all that fame with a pinch of salt.• Course Moira always has had a vividimagination, you have to take what she says with a pinch of salt.• While the first statement is no doubttrue, the second must be taken with a pinch of salt.• A pinch of salt in each bowl stops the mosquitoesbreeding in the water.
2PRESSwhen you press someone’s skin between your finger and thumb 捏,掐,夹
She gave him a playful pinch.
她开玩笑地捏了他一把。
3at a pinchBritish EnglishBrE, in a pinch American EnglishNEED used to say that you could do something if necessary in a difficult or urgent situation 必要时;在紧要关头
There’s space for three people. Four at a pinch.
有三个人的空间,必要时可以挤四个人。
If you’re in a pinch, I’m sure they’d look after Jenny for a while.
如果你有急事,我确信他们会照顾珍妮一段时间。
Examples from the Corpus
at a pinch• But this novel has not just one but two barmen who could also at a pinch be hailed as lords of language.• Her appointments for the following week could, at a pinch, be postponed.• You could, at a pinch, also serve either with the Pizzettas.• Interior is snug but seats four at a pinch.• Or at a pinch he might be able to squeeze himself into the deskdrawer and hide.• There is a large bench seat in the rear which will accommodate two adults or three smaller people at a pinch.• Our flat was a little box that would have probably accommodated Michael's sports shoesat a pinch.• Ponyets could have handled them at a pinch.
4take something with a pinch of saltBELIEVEused to say that you should not always completely believe what a particular person says 对某事半信半疑,对某事不完全相信
You have to take what he says with a pinch of salt.
他的话你可不能全信。
Examples from the Corpus
take something with a pinch of salt• But since he never even notices that Howard is himself Howard takes this with a pinch of salt.• It's best to take what he says with a pinch of salt - he's always exaggerating.• You have to take most things Dave says with a pinch of salt.
5feel the pinchPOORto have financialdifficulties, especially because you are not making as much money as you used to make 〔尤指因赚钱不如以前多而〕感到拮据
Local stores and businesses are beginning to feel the pinch.
当地的商店和公司开始感到手头有点紧。
Examples from the Corpus
feel the pinch• Small businesses dependent on the government also are feeling the pinch.• Membership of the club has dwindled from 70 to 20 and its clear commuters are feeling the pinch.• Schools in the poorest areas, already short of resources, are certainly feeling the pinch.• He felt the pinch of depravity.• Local stores and businesses are beginning to feel the pinch from the economiccrisis.• Meanwhile, with its futurehanging in the balance, Fokker is starting to feel the pinch.• Chichester was not the only Sussex town to feel the pinch of economic decay.• In addition, parishpriests were feeling the pinch through reducedincome from alms and tithes.