stitch

[ stich ]
See synonyms for: stitchstitching on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. one complete movement of a threaded needle through a fabric or material such as to leave behind it a single loop or portion of thread, as in sewing, embroidery, or the surgical closing of wounds.

  2. a loop or portion of thread disposed in place by one such movement in sewing: to rip out stitches.

  1. a particular mode of disposing the thread in sewing or the style of work produced by one such method.

  2. one complete movement of the needle or other implement used in knitting, crocheting, netting, tatting, etc.

  3. the portion of work produced.

  4. a thread, bit, or piece of any fabric or of clothing: to remove every stitch of clothes.

  5. the least bit of anything: He wouldn't do a stitch of work.

  6. a sudden, sharp pain, especially in the intercostal muscles: a stitch in the side.

verb (used with object)
  1. to work upon, join, mend, or fasten with or as if with stitches; sew (often followed by together): to stitch together flour sacks to make curtains; a plan that was barely stitched together.

  2. to ornament or embellish with stitches: to stitch a shirt with a monogram.

verb (used without object)
  1. to make stitches, join together, or sew.

Idioms about stitch

  1. in stitches, convulsed with laughter: The comedian had us in stitches all evening.

Origin of stitch

1
before 900; (noun) Middle English stiche,Old English stice a thrust, stab; cognate with German Stich prick; akin to stick2; (v.) Middle English stichen to stab, pierce, derivative of the noun

Other words from stitch

  • stitcher, noun
  • stitchlike, adjective
  • re·stitch, verb (used with object)
  • un·stitch, verb
  • un·stitched, adjective
  • well-stitched, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use stitch in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stitch

stitch

/ (stɪtʃ) /


noun
  1. a link made by drawing a thread through material by means of a needle

  2. a loop of yarn formed around an implement used in knitting, crocheting, etc

  1. a particular method of stitching or shape of stitch

  2. a sharp spasmodic pain in the side resulting from running or exercising

  3. (usually used with a negative) informal the least fragment of clothing: he wasn't wearing a stitch

  4. agriculture the ridge between two furrows

  5. drop a stitch to allow a loop of wool to fall off a knitting needle accidentally while knitting

  6. in stitches informal laughing uncontrollably

verb
  1. (tr) to sew, fasten, etc, with stitches

  2. (intr) to be engaged in sewing

  1. (tr) to bind together (the leaves of a book, pamphlet, etc) with wire staples or thread

noun, verb
  1. an informal word for suture (def. 1b), suture (def. 6)

Origin of stitch

1
Old English stice sting; related to Old Frisian steke, Old High German stih, Gothic stiks, Old Norse tikta sharp

Derived forms of stitch

  • stitcher, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with stitch

stitch

In addition to the idiom beginning with stitch

  • stitch in time, a

also see:

  • in stitches
  • without a stitch on

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.