inch

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a unit of length equal to ¹/₃₆ yard see Weights and Measures Table
2
: a small amount, distance, or degree
is like cutting a dog's tail off by inchesMilton Friedman
3
inches plural : stature, height
4
a
: a fall (as of rain or snow) sufficient to cover a surface or to fill a gauge to the depth of one inch
b
: 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
5
: 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 upForbes

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
As the 2024 showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump inches closer, a large chunk of the American populace is once again opting to vote via mail. Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2024 The Avocado Green is 11 inches thick and made from organic latex, organic wool, and organic cotton. Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
The intensifying battles against an untamable black market come just as the country inches closer to big federal changes that could open the door to nationwide legalization. Lavanya Ramanathan, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024 The prospect of a Donald Trump presidency could be inching closer to reality. Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 30 Oct. 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

Dictionary Entries Near inch

Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inch. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

inch

1 of 2 noun
1
: a unit of length equal to ¹⁄₃₆ yard (2.54 centimeters) see measure
2
: a small amount, distance, or degree
won't budge an inch
3
: 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
: a unit of length equal to ¹/₃₆ yard or 2.54 centimeters

More from Merriam-Webster on inch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!