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

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
Noun
Vista and Fallbrook recorded about 0.50 inches of precipitation and the area southwest of Valley Center received 0.45 inches. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Denver could record the most snow in three years and more than a month’s worth of snow as 12 to 18 inches are possible from the multi-day storm. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 According to National Weather Service meteorologist Cameron Miller, the Milwaukee area saw around an inch to and 1.5 inches. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 Two inches could easily fall between these three storms. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 That record distance — 76 feet, 2 inches by Fallbrook High School’s Brent Noon in 1990 — is the state’s best and No. 2 nationally. Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2024 Marson said adding one presidential candidate adds between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches to the ballot. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024 Already, as of mid-afternoon, 4-6 inches were reported on the ground from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, AccuWeather said. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Bring water to a boil: Place eggs in a large saucepan and add enough water until the eggs are covered by 1-2 inches. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
Leland estimates the block weighs somewhere between one to two tons; city workers have been inching the block across the sand. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 As of late, Malone has been inching into the world of country music. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The questions were inching uncomfortably toward Mr. Chalamet. Jessica Testa, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Fishermen who participate in Maine’s lifeblood lobster industry are on edge about what the future holds, as lobsters have inched steadily northward as waters have warmed, Cousens said. Patrick Whittle, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 Each week, both women were inching closer to Irina Privalova’s world record of 6.92 seconds. Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Today's top stories Negotiators are inching closer to a deal for another temporary cease-fire in Gaza to allow for an exchange of Israelis held hostage by Hamas and Palestinians detained in Israel. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024 The two have inched closer to a presidential nomination from their respective parties after wins in the California presidential primary, according to Associated Press projections. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 President Joe Biden won Utah's Democratic primary Tuesday night, gaining 30 more delegates that will inch him closer to his party's nomination. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 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!