Definition for inch - Oxford Dictionaries Online (World English)

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	inch1 (inch) Pronunciation: /ɪn(t)ʃ/ noun 1a unit of linear measure equal to one twelfth of a foot (2.54 cm): the toy train is four inches long eighteen inches of thread (inches) informal a person’s height or waist measurement: my only reservation is the goalkeeper’s lack of inches [often with negative] a very small amount or distance: I had no intention of budging an inch 2a unit used to express other quantities, in particular: (as a unit of rainfall) a quantity that would cover a horizontal surface to a depth of one inch, equivalent to 253.7 cubic metres per hectare: more than four inches of rain is expected (also inch of mercury) (as a unit of atmospheric pressure) an amount that would support a column of mercury one-inch high in a barometer (equal to 33.86 millibars, 29.5 inches being equal to one bar). (as a unit of map scale) so many inches representing one mile on the ground: [in combination]: one-inch maps of the east Midland counties verb [no object, with adverbial of direction] move along slowly and carefully: he inched away as I approached figurative Spain’s conservatives are inching ahead [with object and adverbial of direction] cause (something) to move slowly and carefully: he inched the car forward Phrases by inches only just: the shot missed her by inches every inch 1the whole surface, distance, or area: between them they know every inch of the country 2entirely; very much so: he’s every inch the gentleman give someone an inch and he (or she) will take a mile proverb once concessions have been made to someone they will demand a great deal: she stared back at him, refusing to give him an inch inch by inch gradually: inch by inch he crept along the wall within an inch of very close to: her mouth was within an inch of his chin (to) within an inch of one's life almost to the point of death: he was beaten within an inch of his life Origin: late Old English ynce, from Latin uncia 'twelfth part', from unus 'one' (probably denoting a unit). Compare with ounce¹		Search results in the dictionary inch² half-inch column inch twelve-inch single More results » More words in this category c calorie carat centi- centigram debye decibel en fermi fm gallon hectogram hundredweight lambert litre megadeath oersted petaflop phon Nearby Words incept inception inceptisol inceptive incertitude incessant incessantly incest incestuous inch ¹ inch ² inchmeal inchoate inchoative Inchon inchworm incidence incident incident room