pinch bar
1
7.4
- noun
- US
:
barra de palanca
- It's easier to lift large stones with a pinch bar than by hand.
Examples
-
He used a pinch bar to lift the heavy stone.
-
The workers used a pinch bar to roll the heavy wheel into place.
-
A pinch bar can serve as a fulcrum when maneuvering industrial equipment.
-
The construction crew found a pinch bar in the shed.
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The workers used a pinch bar to lift the heavy stone blocks into place.
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He applied pressure on the pinch bar to pry the logs apart.
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During the construction, they relied on the pinch bar to move large pieces of equipment.
Synonyms
45
2.9
A heavy metal bar with a curved end used to force things open and pull out nails
3
4.8
A heavy metal tool with a flat pointed end used to lift things and pull nails
1
6.5
A long strong iron bar with a flat or forked end that you use to force things apart
A long heavy metal tool with a flat chisel end for prying and a curved claw end for pulling nails
How Strong
Surface Forms
Morphology
pinch + bar
The noun 'bar' clearly signals a long rigid metal piece, so a B1 learner would likely infer this is a type of bar; however the headword 'pinch' (typically meaning to squeeze) does not transparently convey the tool's pointed-end lever function or purpose. The compound gives a partial cue to form but not the specific use as a heavy-object lever, so the meaning is only partially predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
The tool pinch bar gets its name from the way it works: a long metal bar is pushed under a heavy object and seems to 'pinch' or hold it so people can lift or move it using the bar as a lever. That's why pinch bar means 'a long, strong metal bar used as a lever to move heavy objects'.