When the term cinch was introduced into the English language in 1859, it referred to a type of Mexican saddle girth known for its tightness. By the 1880s, cinch had evolved to represent anything that was secure or firm. This figurative meaning later expanded to include the concept of something being easy, as it is simpler to accomplish a task when it is secure. The term cinch originates from the Spanish word cincha, which can be traced back to the Latin word cingulum, meaning “girdle” or “swordbelt”. This Latin term is derived from the verb cingere, which means “to encircle”, and ultimately stems from the Proto-Indo-European root kenk with a similar connotation. The verb form of cinch (meaning “to make certain”) emerged in the 1890s, the name of the card game possibly has its origins in the Spanish word cinco, and the peak of literary usage of the term was in 1919.
