1.pinch的基本意思是用手“捏”“掐”“夹”“挤”,也可表示“紧压”“挤痛”。引申可作“节省”“吝啬”解。
2.pinch可用作及物动词,也可用作不及物动词。用作及物动词时接名词或代词作宾语。
3.在非正式用语中, pinch还可作“偷窃”“未经许可而取用”解。
4.pinch后接介词with表示“因…而困苦或痛苦”,常用于被动结构。

pinch back(v.+adv.)
掐掉 remove (an unwanted part of a plant) with one's fingers
▲pinch sth⇔back
If you usually pinch back the dead flower heads, new ones will grow.如果你经常将枯死的花冠掐掉,新花就会长出来。


pinch for(v.+prep.)
因…而困苦 be difficult with sth
▲pinch sb for sth
◇ 常用于be ～ed结构
They are always pinched for money.他们总是手头拮据。

pinch on(v.+prep.)
在…上掐; 在…方面节省 take in a tight grip between the thumb and finger on sth; save in sth
▲pinch on sth
She would pinch on food in order to spend on clothing.她过去常把伙食费省下来买衣服。
▲pinch sb on sth
She pinched me on the arm.她在我臂上拧了一下。


pinch out(v.+adv.)
掐掉 remove (an unwanted part of a plant) with one's fingers
▲pinch sth⇔out
He pinched out the side shoots.他掐掉边芽。
He pinched out the top of the plants.他将植物的顶端掐掉。


pinch and save(v.+v.)
省吃俭用 live in a frugal way
They pinched and saved for many years to buy that house.他们多年省吃俭用买下了那幢房子。
My parents had to pinch and save to raise seven children on my father's income.我父母不得不省吃俭用,靠父亲的收入来抚养7个孩子。


pinch under(v.+prep.)
夹在…下 take in a tight grip under sth
▲pinch sth under sth
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
The fingers were pinched under a hawser.手指被夹在了大缆绳下面。

pinch with(v.+prep.)
因…而困苦 be difficult for sth
▲pinch sb with sth
◇ 常用于be ～ed结构
He was pinched with poverty in those days.在那些日子里,他穷困不堪。
Their faces were pinched with grief.他们的面容因悲伤而憔悴。
His face was pinched with anxiety for his lost child.由于丢失了孩子,他的脸上布满了焦虑的神情。

where the shoe pinches
困难所在 be where the difficulty or hardship lies
That's where the shoe pinches.那就是困难所在。
We can't do anything about it before we first find out where the shoe pinches.在发现困难所在之前,我们无法加以处理。
The coach said he wasn't worried about any position except quarterback; that was where the shoe pinches.教练员说除前锋与中间的位置以外,他不担心其他别的位置; 前锋与中间的位置是困难所在。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
This collar pinches.这领子紧得勒脖子。
These shoes must be too small because they pinch.因为这双鞋夹脚,所以一定是太小。
I'll have to pinch if I am going to get through school.如果我想读到毕业,便非节俭不可。
用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.我拧了自己一把,以弄明白不是在做梦。
The child was crying because somebody had pinched her.那孩子哭了,因为有人掐她。
He pinched the boy's face playfully.他开玩笑地拧了这男孩的脸。
These shoes pinch my feet.这双鞋把我的脚夹痛了。
The door pinched my finger as it shut.关门把我的手指夹住了。
The cold pinched his face.他的脸冻得发痛。
When Tom and Mary were saving money to buy a house, they had to pinch pennies.汤姆和玛丽为了存钱买房子,只好一分钱掰成两半花。
The thief pinched her purse and ran.小偷偷了她的皮夹子跑了。
His father caught him pinching apples.父亲撞见他偷苹果。
The police pinched him.警察逮捕了他。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
You'll be pinched if you are not careful.你如果不小心将会被夹住。
My car's been pinched.我的汽车被偷了。

pinch, press, squeeze
参见press条。
pinch, filch, lift, purloin, steal
参见steal条。

下列两句的意思相同:
门把他的手夹住了。
He pinched his finger in the door.
The door pinched his finger.

at〔in〕 a pinch
必要时,如果有必要if necessary
In a pinch, you could get home on foot.在万不得已时,你可以步行回家。

She gave him a pinch to wake him up.她拧了他一下以弄醒他。
He put a pinch of salt on his food.他在自己的食物上洒了一撮盐。
It's six months since he lost his job, so he's beginning to feel the pinch.他失业已有六个月了,所以开始感到相当困难。