at a pinch
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In an urgent case; if hard pressed. There are things that one cannot do in the ordinary way, but that one may manage "at a pinch.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “at a pinch” mean?
In an urgent case; if hard pressed. There are things that one cannot do in the ordinary way, but that one may manage "at a pinch.
Is “at a pinch” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.