stitch

Pronunciation

• IPA: /stɪtʃ/
• American: stich

Origin

From Old English stice ("a pricking sensation, puncture"), from Proto-Germanic stikiz, related to stick

Meanings

1. (noun) A single complete movement of a threaded needle through fabric or material

   • "She made careful stitches along the hem of the dress."

2. (noun) A loop of yarn or thread resulting from a single pass of a needle in sewing or knitting

   • "The sweater had dropped a stitch, causing it to unravel."

3. (verb) To sew or join with stitches

   • "She stitched the patch onto her jeans."

4. (noun) A sharp pain in the side of the body, especially after running

   • "He got a stitch in his side during the marathon."

Related Words

• Different forms:

  • stitches (plural)
  • stitched (past tense)
  • stitching (present participle)
  • stitchery (noun - the art of stitching)

• Synonyms:

  • sew
  • suture
  • darn
  • mend
  • seam

Common Phrases

• "in stitches" (laughing very hard)
• "a stitch in time saves nine" (fixing a problem early prevents bigger problems)

Memorization Trick

Think of the sound "stitch" as the quick, sharp movement of a needle going in and out of fabric - the "st" sound starts the movement, and the "tch" finishes it, just like a complete stitch.