What is the meaning of pinch?

noun

• A painful or straitened circumstance.
  • usage: "the pinch of the recession"
• An injury resulting from getting some body part squeezed.
• A slight but appreciable amount.
  • usage: "this dish could use a touch of garlic"
  • synonyms: touch, hint, tinge, mite, jot, speck, soupcon
• A sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action.
  • usage: "he never knew what to do in an emergency"
  • synonyms: emergency, exigency
• A small sharp bite or snip.
  • synonyms: nip
• A squeeze with the fingers.
  • synonyms: tweak
• The act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal. )
  • usage: "the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar"
  • synonyms: apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, taking into custody

verb

• Squeeze tightly between the fingers.
  • usage: "He pinched her behind"; "She squeezed the bottle"
  • synonyms: squeeze, twinge, tweet, nip, twitch
• Make ridges into by pinching together.
  • synonyms: crimp
• Make off with belongings of others.
  • synonyms: pilfer, cabbage, purloin, abstract, snarf, swipe, hook, sneak, filch, nobble, lift
• Cut the top off.
  • usage: "top trees and bushes"
  • synonyms: top
• Irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear.
  • usage: "smooth surfaces can vellicate the teeth"; "the pain is as if sharp points pinch your back"
  • synonyms: vellicate