inch

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈinch

Synonyms of inch next

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₃₆ yard see Weights and Measures Table

: a small amount, distance, or degree

is like cutting a dog's tail off by inches—

Milton Friedman

inches plural : stature, height

: a fall (as of rain or snow) sufficient to cover a surface or to fill a gauge to the depth of one inch

: a degree of atmospheric or other pressure sufficient to balance the weight of a column of liquid (such as mercury) one inch high in a barometer or manometer

: a small advantage especially from lenient or compassionate treatment

—usually used in the phrase give an inch

inch

2 of 3

verb

inched; inching; inches

intransitive verb

: to move by small degrees : progress slowly

the long line of people inching up the stairs

transitive verb

: to cause to move slowly

sooner or later they begin inching prices back up—

Forbes

inch

3 of 3

noun (2)

chiefly Scotland

: island

Phrases

every inch

: to the utmost degree

looks every inch a winner

inch by inch

: very gradually or slowly

within an inch of

: almost to the point of

came within an inch of succeeding

Did you know?

The ancient Romans used a system of weights and measures based on units divided into 12 parts. Thus the Latin uncia, meaning “a 12th part,” designated the 12th part of a foot. From this is derived Old English ince or ynce and modern English inch. The Roman pound was also divided into 12 parts, similarly designated by the word uncia. In this sense uncia followed a different path and became Middle English unce or ounce, which was the 12th part of a pound in the troy system. In the avoirdupois system, which is more widely used, the pound is larger and equals 16 ounces. The English noun inch dates to before the 12th century; the verb meaning “to move very slowly” does not appear until around 1600.

Examples of inch in a Sentence

Noun (1) give them an inch, and they'll take a mile inch by inch, we're making progress toward our fund-raising goal made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf Verb We inched along in heavy traffic. As she neared the finish line, she inched ahead of the other racers. Gas prices are inching up again. I inched the car into the garage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

Two to 6 inches of snow is forecast at Sierra Nevada passes, the National Weather Service said. —

Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2024 An additional 2 to 4 inches of rainfall are expected into Thursday morning across parts of western Cuba, amounting to 12 inches of total accumulations from the storm. —

Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Verb

In Area 3, the incumbent and board president, Leandra Blades, is inching closer to being reelected with 54.37%. —

Alexcia Negrete, Orange County Register, 9 Nov. 2024 Your cup of pumpkin spice latte is barely empty, yet peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes are already inching onto the menus. —

Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inch

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English ynce, from Latin uncia — more at ounce

Noun (2)

Middle English (Scots), from Scottish Gaelic innis

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of inch was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inch. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

inch

1 of 2 noun

ˈinch

: a unit of length equal to ¹⁄₃₆ yard (2.54 centimeters) see measure

: a small amount, distance, or degree

won't budge an inch

: a small advantage especially from kind treatment

—usually used in the phrase give an inch

did not give an inch during negotiations

inch

2 of 2 verb

: to move a little bit at a time

Etymology

Noun

Old English ynce "inch," from Latin uncia "a 12th part, ounce," from unus "one" — related to ounce, unite see Word History at ounce

Medical Definition

inch

noun

ˈinch

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₃₆ yard or 2.54 centimeters

Last Updated: 18 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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inch

noun (1)

verb

noun (2)

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Synonyms

Examples of inch in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near inch

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition