inch

Meaning

Noun

1. An English unit of length equal to 1/12 of a foot or 2.54 cm, conceived as roughly the width of a thumb.
2. (figuratively) Any very short distance.
3. Any of various similar units of length in other traditional systems of measurement.
4. A depth of one inch on the ground, used as a measurement of rainfall.
5. A depth of one inch in a glass, used as a rough measurement of alcoholic beverages.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction).
2. To drive by inches, or small degrees.
3. To deal out by inches; to give sparingly.

Adj

cocky and cheeky

Verb

to burn (to insult); to speak in a cocky and cheeky manner

Synonyms

in

thumb

unit of measurement

creep

move slowly

column inch

crawl slowly

edge

creep slowly

annulet

sidle

span

stir

withdraw

move backwards

retreat

budge

cogitation

dactyl

digit

finger

insinuate

nose

👃

pollex

Translations

pouce

Zoll

pollice

pulgada

polegada

duim

ίντσα

polzada

inç

duim als lengtemaat

haarbreed

xumam

إنش

Inch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ynche

Inherited from Old English: ynċe

Cognate with Middle Dutch: enke

In summary

From Middle English ynche, enche, from Old English ynċe, borrowed from Latin uncia (“Roman inch, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Cognate with Middle Dutch enke (“thumb, thumb's width, inch”). Doublet of ounce, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah.

Sentences

He heard a muffled grating sound and saw the black mark jerk forward an inch or so .