- 1[countable] one of the small lines of thread that you can see on a piece of cloth after it has been sewn; the action that produces this Try to keep the stitches small and straight. Wordfindersewbaste, bind, embroidery, hem, lining, seam, sew, stitch, tack, thread Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedecorative, embroidery, hand, … verb + stitchdo, put, sew, … See full entry
- 2[countable] one of the small circles of wool that you make around the needle when you are knitting to drop a stitch (= to lose one that you have made) The knitting should be 120 stitches wide. to cast stitches on/off (= to add or remove them) Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivegarter, stocking, etc., … verb + stitchcast off, cast on, drop, … See full entry
- 3[countable, uncountable] (especially in compounds) a particular style of sewing or knitting that you use to make the pattern you want chain stitch Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivegarter, stocking, etc., … verb + stitchcast off, cast on, drop, … See full entry
- 4[countable] a short piece of thread, etc. that doctors use to sew the edges of a wound together The cut needed eight stitches. I had six stitches in my foot after the accident. (especially British English) I’m having my stitches out today. (North American English) I’m getting my stitches out today. Wordfinderoperationamputate, anaesthetic, graft, operation, procedure, scalpel, scrubs, stitch, surgery, transplant CollocationsInjuriesBeing injured have a fall/an injury receive/suffer/sustain a serious injury/a hairline fracture/(especially British English) whiplash/a gunshot wound hurt/injure your ankle/back/leg damage the brain/an ankle ligament/your liver/the optic nerve/the skin pull/strain/tear a hamstring/ligament/muscle/tendon sprain/twist your ankle/wrist break a bone/your collarbone/your leg/three ribs fracture/crack your skull break/chip/knock out/lose a tooth burst/perforate your eardrum dislocate your finger/hip/jaw/shoulder bruise/cut/graze your arm/knee/shoulder burn/scald yourself/your tongue bang/bump/hit/ (informal) bash your elbow/head/knee (on/against something)Treating injuries treat somebody for burns/a head injury/a stab wound examine/clean/dress/bandage/treat a bullet wound repair a damaged/torn ligament/tendon/cartilage amputate/cut off an arm/a finger/a foot/a leg/a limb put on/ (formal) apply/take off (especially North American English) a Band-Aid™/(British English) a plaster/a bandage need/require/put in/ (especially British English) have (out)/ (North American English) get (out) stitches put on/rub on/ (formal) apply cream/ointment/lotion have/receive/undergo (British English) physiotherapy/(North American English) physical therapy Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedissolvable, butterfly verb + stitchneed, require, get, … stitch + verbdissolve prepositionstitch in See full entry See related entries: Medical equipment, Operations
- 5[countable, usually singular] a sudden pain in the side of your body, usually caused by running or laughing Can we slow down? I've got a stitch. Word OriginOld English stice ‘a puncture, stabbing pain’, of Germanic origin; related to German Stich ‘a sting, prick’, also to the verb stick. The sense ‘loop’ (in sewing etc.) arose in Middle English.Extra examples He had twenty stitches in a head wound. He has now had the stitches taken out. He needed four stitches. I had to have five stitches when I cut my finger. Put a stitch in the corner of the pocket to keep it in place. She had five stitches put in her cheek. The edge was sewn with blanket stitch. When are you having your stitches out?Idioms
stitch
nounBrE BrE//stɪtʃ//; NAmE NAmE//stɪtʃ//
Medical equipment, Operations
(informal) laughing a lot The play had us in stitches.
(informal) to be naked
(saying) it is better to deal with something immediately because if you wait it may become worse or more difficult and cause extra work
Check pronunciation: stitch
