stitch (redirected from stitching)

in stitches

Fig. laughing very hard. Charlie had us in stitches with all his jokes. The movie sure was funny. I was in stitches!

keep someone in stitches

Fig. to cause someone to laugh loud and hard, for a period of time. The comedian kept us in stitches for nearly an hour. The teacher kept the class in stitches, but the students didn't learn anything.

See also: keep

not have a stitch of clothes (on)

Fig. naked. He walked through the house and didn't have a stitch of clothes on.

See also: clothes, have

stitch something onto something and stitch something on

to sew something onto the surface of something else. Fred stitched the badge onto his jacket. Fred stitched on the badge.

stitch something up

to sew something together; to mend a tear or ripped seam. I tore my shirt. Would you stitch it up, please? Please stitch up my shirt.

See also: up

stitch in time saves nine

Prov. If you fix a small problem right away, it will not become a bigger problem later. Let's patch the roof before that hole gets bigger. A stitch in time saves nine.

See also: nine, save, time

---

A stitch in time (saves nine).

something that you say which means it is better to deal with a problem early before it gets too bad If you don't repair the oil leak now, you might damage the whole engine. It's a case of a stitch in time.

See also: time

have somebody in stitches  (informal)

to make someone laugh a lot She told a couple of jokes that had us all in stitches.

See also: have

---

in stitches

laughing so much that it is difficult to control yourself The movie will keep you in stitches from beginning to end.