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pince

pliers, tongs, clip

noun PANSS Rare

Also means

claw (of a crustacean)

Usage Note

Pince covers a wide range of gripping tools: pince à linge (clothes peg), pince à épiler (tweezers), pince coupante (wire cutters), as well as the claws of crabs and lobsters. In tailoring, a pince is also a dart (fold stitched into fabric for shaping). Context always clarifies the specific meaning.

Examples

"Il saisit le fil avec une pince."

Natural Translation

He grips the wire with pliers.

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