noun
pincer
PIHN-suhr
noun
1
One half of a gripping claw or tool, or (in plural) the tool or claw itself.
"The crab snapped its pincer shut around the bait."
verb
1
To attack or surround from two sides at once.
"The troops attempted to pincer the enemy position from both flanks."
How to Use Pincer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA gripping claw (like a crab's), or a military move that attacks from both sides.
Common pairings
pincer attack
pincer movement
Word Forms
pincered past tense, pincers plural, pincers singular
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Etymology
From Old French pincier, "to pinch."