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 #2 (permalink) Sun Apr 09, 2006 0:36 am Due in a pinch |
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| Flint wrote: |
I read this today in a forum, never hear this expression before:
"This idea might due in a pinch" |
It should be, "This idea might do in a pinch."
"In a pinch" means in a difficult situation where you have no good choices. For example, you might say, "I don't like fish, but I'll eat it in a pinch." This means, "I don't like fish, but if I have nothing else, then I'll eat it."
In your sentence, the word do means the same thing as suffice. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 6552
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| #3 (permalink) Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:20 am Due in a pinch |
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| Jamie, I think you're right, thanks. |
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Guest
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| #4 (permalink) Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:20 am Pinch |
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Just a little addition:
You can also say 'at a pinch' with the same meaning, i.e. if really necessary: she can translate Portuguese at a pinch.
Another expression with 'pinch':
to feel the pinch: to be in difficulty because of lack of money. |
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Conchita
Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
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| #5 (permalink) Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:25 pm Pinch |
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| Conchita wrote: |
| You can also say 'at a pinch' with the same meaning, i.e. if really necessary: she can translate Portuguese at a pinch. |
Really? I've never heard it.
Oh, it looks like you can. I got 165,000 hits for it on Google. "In a pinch" yields more than two million, so I guess the expression is more common with "in". |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 6552
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| #6 (permalink) Mon Apr 10, 2006 13:27 pm Pinch |
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Hi,
At a pinch is the one I know. With respect of course to St Google.
Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan
Co-founder
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 13887
Location: UK
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| Spacing confusion after "." | Difference between find and reveal |
