Pinched note to relative (5)
I believe the answer is:
gaunt
'pinched' is the definition.
('gaunt' can be a synonym of 'pinched')
'note to relative' is the wordplay.
'note' becomes 'g' (musical note**).
'to relative' becomes 'aunt' (aunt is a kind of relative).
'g'+'aunt'='GAUNT'
(Other definitions for gaunt that I've seen before include "Thin and pinched" , "Drawn" , "Very thin especially from disease or hunger" , "Hollow-eyed, skinny" , "Unhealthily thin" .)