inch

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈinch

: 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

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.

inch 1 of 2

noun

as in step

a very small distance or degree give them an inch, and they'll take a mile

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

step
neck
bit
hairbreadth
hair
hairsbreadth
hairline
ace
shouting distance
smidgen
iota
hop, skip, and jump
smidgeon
smidge
smidgin
stone's throw
trifle
crumb
particle
jot
minim
mite
dab
trace

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mile
long haul
infinity
country mile
light-year

as in stage

an individual part of a process, series, or ranking inch by inch, we're making progress toward our fund-raising goal

Synonyms & Similar Words

step
stage
point
chapter
degree
phase
place
cut
grade
side
amount
peg
angle
notch
aspect
facet
measure
plane
increment
decrement

as in height

inches plural the distance of something or someone from bottom to top made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

height
stature
altitude
elevation
rise
highness
tallness
loftiness

inch

2 of 2

verb

as in to encroach

to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits every year the water inches further up the embankments, threatening to permanently engulf the island city

Synonyms & Similar Words

encroach
worm
snake
creep
invade
sneak
impinge
entrench
intrude
overshoot
intrench
overstep
infringe
overpass
overrun
overreach

as in to drag

to move slowly the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway

Synonyms & Similar Words

drag
crawl
snail
slouch
creep
shuffle
nose
ooze
poke
limp
lumber
plod
trudge
creak (along)
tramp
shamble

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

speed
race
fly
float
glide
zip
tear
sail
whizz
whiz
hurry

单词	inch
释义	inch 1 of 3 noun (1) ˈinch 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 inches Milton 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 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. Synonyms Noun (1) ace hair hairbreadth hairsbreadth hairline hop, skip, and jump neck shouting distance step stone's throw Verb creep encroach worm See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences 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. 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 Phrases Containing inch every inch of every inch/step of the way every inch inch plant inch by inch every inch of the way give/budge an inch within an inch of acre-inch every inch of every inch/step of the way every inch inch plant inch by inch every inch of the way give/budge an inch within an inch of acre-inch See More Kids Definition inch 1 of 2 noun ˈinch : a unit of length equal to ¹/₃₆ yard (2.54 centimeters) inch 2 of 2 verb inched; inching : to move a little bit at a time We inched to the ticket counter. Medical Definition inch noun ˈinch : a unit of length equal to ¹/₃₆ yard or 2.54 centimeters inch 1 of 2 noun 1 as in step a very small distance or degree give them an inch, and they'll take a mile Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance step neck bit hairbreadth hair hairsbreadth hairline ace shouting distance smidgen iota hop, skip, and jump smidgeon smidge smidgin stone's throw trifle crumb particle jot minim mite dab trace Antonyms & Near Antonyms mile long haul infinity country mile light-year 2 as in stage an individual part of a process, series, or ranking inch by inch, we're making progress toward our fund-raising goal Synonyms & Similar Words step stage point chapter degree phase place cut grade side amount peg angle notch aspect facet measure plane increment decrement 3 as in height inches plural the distance of something or someone from bottom to top made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf Synonyms & Similar Words height stature altitude elevation rise highness tallness loftiness inch 2 of 2 verb 1 as in to encroach to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits every year the water inches further up the embankments, threatening to permanently engulf the island city Synonyms & Similar Words encroach worm snake creep invade sneak impinge entrench intrude overshoot intrench overstep infringe overpass overrun overreach 2 as in to drag to move slowly the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway Synonyms & Similar Words drag crawl snail slouch creep shuffle nose ooze poke limp lumber plod trudge creak (along) tramp shamble Antonyms & Near Antonyms speed race fly float glide zip tear sail whizz whiz hurry See More Phrases Containing inch within an inch of inch by inch within an inch of inch by inch
随便看	halve halved halvers halverses blotchiest blotchily blotchinesses blotching blotchings blotchy blotless blots blots out blotted blotted out blotter blotters blottesque blottesques blottier blottiest blotting blotting book blotting out blotting pad

inch

noun (1)

verb

noun (2)

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing inch

Kids Definition

noun

verb

Medical Definition

noun

noun

verb

Phrases Containing inch