Pinch (action)

A pinch is a grip of a flexible object in which a portion is taken between two fingers, until it hurts, or something of resemblance and squeezed so the gripped portion of the object is lifted from its normal level. By extension, that which is taken in the grip is referred to as a "pinch."

When the fingers are used to perform a pinch, the action usually consists of the thumb and one other finger. The closer to the thumb the other finger is located, the stronger the pinch.

The term "pinch" often refers to the action being taken on the skin. A pinch of the skin displaces the skin and blood beneath from its natural position, and may inflict a minor degree of pain, which may increase if the amount of skin being pinched is smaller, but is usually tolerable to most.

Pinching the skin can result in pinch marks, a cutaneous condition, and when on the ears or in the genital region of male children may be suggestive of child abuse.

Pinching has the following uses in health care and medicine:

A pinch can refer to the taking of a small amount of a powdery substance.

In cooking, a "pinch" refers to a small amount of an ingredient, such as salt or a spice, being taken to be placed within a recipe.

Small amounts of street drugs are sometimes referred to as a "pinch."

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