pinch of sugar
1
1.0
- noun
:
pizca de azúcar
- For the cake recipe, you'll need a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.
- add a pinch of sugar
- a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper
Examples
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A pinch of sugar is often added to round out the flavor, but it's optional.
Blog text (30) -
To enhance the sweetness of the dish, I added a pinch of sugar to the sauce.
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I need a pinch of sugar.
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We'll use a pinch of sugar
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Add a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.
Blog text (6) -
A pinch of sugar will do wonders for tomato sauce, but processed sauce is usually as full of sugar as Coke.
Blog text (28) -
I'll take a nonfat latte with two pumps of vanilla, hint of cinnamon, and a pinch of sugar.
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Just tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, Bay leaves, salt, a pinch of sugar and maybe a little red chili if you're into it, but you don't have to.
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A pinch of sugar can make a significant difference in the taste of your coffee.
Synonyms
33
1.0
A small amount of a spice held between your fingers
14
7.9
A very small amount of something
12
1.5
A very small amount of salt or spice used in cooking
9
7.3
A very small amount, like a tiny bit of salt
3
6.8
A very small amount of something, often a taste like honey
How Much
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small amount of sugar' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'pinch' (a very small measured quantity) with 'sugar' in the standard measure-noun + of + noun construction. This compositional pattern is common in English and other languages and would be immediately inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Pinch of sugar comes from the simple action of taking a pinch of sugar between your thumb and finger and letting it fall into food or drink. Because the amount you can hold is very small, the phrase now means 'a very small amount' used to add a little taste or change.