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Pinch vs Purloin - What's the difference?

pinch | purloin | Synonyms |

Pinch is a synonym of purloin.


As verbs the difference between pinch and purloin

is that pinch is to squeeze a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt while purloin is to take the property of another, often in breach of trust; to appropriate wrongfully; to steal.

As a noun pinch

is the action of squeezing a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt.

pinch

English

Verb

(es)
  • To squeeze a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt.
    • The children were scolded for pinching each other.
    This shoe pinches my foot.
  • To steal, usually of something almost trivial or inconsequential.
    • Someone has pinched my handkerchief!
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 13 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Then, as the Sunderland fans' cheers bellowed around the stadium, United's title bid was over when it became apparent City had pinched a last-gasp winner to seal their first title in 44 years.}}
  • (slang) To arrest or capture.
  • (horticulture) To cut shoots]] or [[bud, buds of a plant in order to shape the plant, or to improve its yield.
  • (nautical) To sail so close-hauled that the sails begin to flutter.
  • (hunting) To take hold; to grip, as a dog does.
  • (obsolete) To be niggardly or covetous.
    • (Gower)
  • * Franklin
    • the wretch whom avarice bids to pinch and spare
  • To seize; to grip; to bite; said of animals.
  • * Chapman
    • He [the hound] pinched and pulled her down.
  • (figurative) To cramp; to straiten; to oppress; to starve.
    • to be pinched for money
  • * Sir Walter Raleigh
    • want of room pinching a whole nation
  • To move, as a railroad car, by prying the wheels with a pinch.

    • Noun

    (es)
  • The action of squeezing a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt.
  • A small amount of powder or granules, such that the amount could be held between fingertip and thumb tip.
  • An awkward situation of some kind (especially money or social) which is difficult to escape.
  • * 1955 , edition, ISBN 0553249592, page 171:
    • It took nerve and muscle both to carry the body out and down the stairs to the lower hall, but he damn well had to get it out of his place and away from his door, and any of those four could have done it in a pinch', and it sure was a ' pinch .
  • An organic herbal smoke additive.

    • Derived terms

    * feel the pinch * in a pinch * at a pinch * pinchy * take with a pinch of salt

    Descendants

    * Japanese: (pinchi)

    purloin

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To take the property of another, often in breach of trust; to appropriate wrongfully; to steal.
  • * Milton
    • Had from his wakeful custody purloined / The guarded gold.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1900 , author=One Who Was in It , title=Kruger's Secret Service , chapter=8 , pages=168-169 , passage=Probably my acquaintance, Mr Blank, therefore, would have been able, if he had so wished to do, to purloin the papers which he mentioned.}}
  • To commit theft; to thieve.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=2006 [1622] , author=William Gouge , title=Of Domestical Duties , isbn=1430309598 , page=454 , passage=The Apostle expressly forbiddeth servants to purloin (Titus 2:10).}}