at a pinch

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at a pinch

/ˌæ.təˈpɪnʃ/ UK

Where it comes from

at + a + pinch (“tight squeeze”)

phrase

Australia, New Zealand, UK, idiomatic, informal by a small margin or amount
Similar: by the skin of one's teeth, only just
idiomatic In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.
Similar: in a pinch

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MLA

"at a pinch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/at%20a%20pinch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

at a pinch. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/at%20a%20pinch

Chicago

"at a pinch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/at%20a%20pinch.

BibTeX

@misc{at_a_pinch_2026,
  title = {at a pinch},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/at%20a%20pinch},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}