—pinch /pɪntʃ/
noun [C usually singular] (PRESS)
► F0 the act of pinching something or someone: » She gave Emma a painful pinch on the arm.Thesaurus+: ↑Squeezing and grindingnoun [C] (AMOUNT)
► F0 a small amount of something, such as a powder, especially the amount that a person can hold between their first finger and thumb: » While the tomatoes are cooking add a pinch of salt/sugar/dried thyme.» FIGURATIVE Opinion polls on subjects like this should be taken with a pinch of scepticism.See picture: a pinch of salt 
Thesaurus+: ↑Words meaning small pieces and amounts
verb (PRESS) ↑Verb Endings for pinch
F0 [I or T] to press something, especially someone's skin, strongly between two hard things such as a finger and a thumb, usually causing pain:
» Ouch! Stop pinching (me)!» These shoes are too tight, they pinch (my feet).Thesaurus+: ↑Squeezing and grindingpinch yourself INFORMALF0 You say that you have to pinch yourself if you cannot really believe something that has happened because it is so good or so strange:
» I can't believe that he's back from Canada and he's mine - I keep having to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.Thesaurus+: ↑Not believingverb [T] INFORMAL (STEAL) ↑Verb Endings for pinch
► F0 to steal something: » Right, who's pinched my chair?Thesaurus+: ↑Stealing