cinch

Meanings

Noun

• A simple saddle girth used in Mexico.
• Something that is very easy to do.
• Something that is obvious or certain to occur; a sure thing.
• A firm hold.
• A variety of auction pitch in which a draw to improve the hand is added, and the five of trumps (called "right Pedro") and the five of the same colour (called "left Pedro", and ranking between the five and the four of trumps) are each worth five. Fifty-one points make a game.

Verb

• To bring to certain conclusion.
• To tighten down.
• In the game of cinch, to protect (a trick) by playing a higher trump than the five.

Related

Similar words

• double Pedro
• high five

Origin

• Borrowed from Occitan cencha or Spanish cincha ("a belt or girth"), from Late Latin cingula, from Latin cingulum. cingle.
• Compare senses at etymology 1 (a girth, a tight grip), perhaps suggesting the tactics used in the game; or perhaps from Spanish cinco, the five spots of the colour of the trump being important cards.