Pinch vs Stitch - What's the difference?

Pinch is a related term of stitch.

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between pinch and stitch

is that pinch is (obsolete) to be niggardly or covetous while stitch is (obsolete) a contortion, or twist.

As verbs the difference between pinch and stitch

is that pinch is to squeeze a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt while stitch is to form stitches in; especially, to sew in such a manner as to show on the surface a continuous line of stitches.

As nouns the difference between pinch and stitch

is that pinch is the action of squeezing a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt while stitch is a single pass of a needle in sewing; the loop or turn of the thread thus made.

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)

stitch

English

(wikipedia stitch)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) stiche, from (etyl) . More at (l).

Noun

(es)

A single pass of a needle in sewing; the loop or turn of the thread thus made.

An arrangement of stitches in sewing, or method of stitching in some particular way or style.

cross stitch

herringbone stitch

(sports) An intense stabbing pain under the lower edge of the ribcage, caused by internal organs pulling downwards on the diaphragm during exercise.

A single turn of the thread round a needle in knitting; a link, or loop, of yarn

drop a stitch

take up a stitch

An arrangement of stitches in knitting, or method of knitting in some particular way or style.

A space of work taken up, or gone over, in a single pass of the needle.

Hence, by extension, any space passed over; distance.

:: You have gone a good stitch. — .

:: In Syria the husbandmen go lightly over with their plow, and take no deep stitch in making their furrows. — Holland.

A local sharp pain; an acute pain, like the piercing of a needle.

a stitch in the side

He was taken with a cold and with stitches, which was, indeed, a pleurisy.

(obsolete) A contortion, or twist.

* Marston

If you talk, Or pull your face into a stitch again, I shall be angry.

(colloquial) Any least part of a fabric or dress.

to wet every stitch of clothes.

She didn't have a stitch on

A furrow.

(Chapman)

Etymology 2

From (etyl)

Verb

To form stitches in; especially, to sew in such a manner as to show on the surface a continuous line of stitches.

to stitch a shirt bosom.

To sew, or unite or attach by stitches.

to stitch printed sheets in making a book or a pamphlet.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=November 10 , author=Jeremy Wilson , title=tEngland Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report , work=Telegraph citation , page= , passage=With such focus from within the footballing community this week on Remembrance Sunday, there was something appropriate about Colchester being the venue for last night’s game. Troops from the garrison town formed a guard of honour for both sets of players, who emerged for the national anthem with poppies proudly stitched into their tracksuit jackets. }}

(agriculture) To form land into ridges.

To practice/practise stitching or needlework.

(computing, graphics) To combine two or more photographs of the same scene into a single image.

I can use this software to stitch together a panorama.

Synonyms

* (form stitches in ): sew * (unite by stitches ): sew, sew together, stitch together * (form land into ridges''): plough (''British''), plow (''US )

Derived terms

* a stitch in time saves nine * blanket stitch * be in stitches * cable stitch * chain stitch * cross-stitch * drop a stitch * garter stitch * herringbone stitch * in stitches * lock stitch * moss stitch * pearl stitch, purl stitch * rib stitch * running stitch * stem stitch * stitch up * stocking stitch * take up a stitch