Stitch
/stɪtʃ/
nounverbA2
Definition
As a noun, a stitch is a single loop or knot made with thread when sewing cloth or skin. It can also mean a small, sharp pain in the side of the body, often felt when running. As a verb, to stitch means to join things by sewing with a needle and thread.
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A loop of thread made in sewing or medical stitching
- •The tailor made a stitch to fix the torn shirt.
- •The nurse put stitches on the wound to help it heal.
- •She counted each stitch carefully while knitting.
A small sharp pain in the side of the body, often during exercise
- •I got a stitch in my side while running.
- •He stopped because the stitch was too painful.
- •The stitch went away after a short rest.
To sew or join with thread and needle (verb)
- •She stitched the button back on her coat.
- •The doctor stitched the cut after the accident.
- •He stitched the torn fabric with a needle and thread.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "stitch" like "sew" (A1 word), but a stitch is one small loop or thread connection, while "sew" means to do many stitches to make something whole.
- ✓Picture a needle pulling thread through fabric, making tiny loops that hold the cloth together.
- ✓It’s the feeling of a small, sharp pain in your side when you run too fast or breathe hard.
- ✓Sounds like "stitch" → imagine a tiny "switch" turning on one thread loop after another to connect fabric.
- ✓Think of a doctor stitching a cut to help it close and heal.
- ✓NOT like "cut" (which breaks fabric or skin), "stitch" is what fixes or holds pieces together.
- ✓NOT like "knot" (a tied thread), a stitch is a thread loop made by a needle.
- ✓NOT like "pain" in general, a stitch pain is small, sharp, and usually in the side of the body.
Try Other Words
- •Sew: to join fabric with a needle and thread (Use when talking about the whole action of making clothes or fixing fabric)
- •Suture: medical stitching of skin or tissue (Use in medical contexts for stitching wounds)
- •Pain: feeling of discomfort (Use when referring to the stitch as a sharp pain in the side)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) — "stitch" is a simple root word
- •Etymology: From Old English "stice" or "sticca," meaning a pointed instrument or a puncture
- •Historical development: Originally related to sharp points or pricks, later used for sewing loops of thread
- •Modern usage: Used in sewing, knitting, and medical contexts, also for describing a sharp side pain during exercise
Reflect & Connect
•How does the meaning of "stitch" change when used in sewing compared to when used for pain?
•Can you think of situations where making a stitch is very important? Why?
Fill in the blanks
1.When the shirt tore, she used a needle and thread to make a ___ to hold it together.
2.After falling, he needed a doctor to ___ the cut on his arm.
3.The runner stopped because a ___ in his side made it hard to breathe.
4.Unlike a general pain, a stitch is a small, sharp ___ that usually happens during exercise.
5.The nurse carefully counted each ___ to close the wound properly.
6.You usually ___ fabric by making many stitches, not just one ___.
7.When you feel a stitch while running, it often goes away after you ___ or slow down.