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inch
inch1 / inch/ • n. 1. a 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. (Symbol: ″) ∎ a very small amount or distance: I had no intention of budging an inch. 2. a 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. ∎ (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). • v. [intr.] move slowly and carefully in a specified direction: the 2,000 mourners inched along narrow country lanes | fig. the stock market inched ahead today. ∎ [tr.] cause (something) to move in this manner: he inched the car forward. PHRASES: by inches 1. only just: the shot missed her by inches. 2. very slowly and gradually; bit by bit: you can't let him die by inches like this. every inch 1. the whole surface, distance, or area: between them they know every inch of the country. 2. entirely; very much so: he's every inch the gentleman. inch by inch gradually; bit by bit: 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. inch2 • n. [in place names] chiefly Scot. a small island or a small area of high land: Inchkeith. |
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Cite this article
"inch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "inch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-inch.html "inch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-inch.html |
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inch
inch a unit of linear measure equal to one twelfth of a foot. The word is recorded from late Old English (in form ynce) and comes from Latin uncia ‘twelfth part’, from unus ‘one’ (probably denoting a unit).
See also give someone an inch and they will take an ell. |
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Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "inch." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "inch." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-inch.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "inch." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-inch.html |
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inch
inch1 twelfth part of a foot. Late OE. ynċe, corr. to OHG. unza, Goth. unkja — L. uncia twelfth part (see OUNCE1).
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "inch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "inch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-inch.html T. F. HOAD. "inch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-inch.html |
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inch
inch Imperial unit of measurement equal to 2.54cm. There are 12 inches to 1 foot.
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"inch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "inch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-inch.html "inch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-inch.html |
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Inch
Inch (Inis) Cork, Down, Kerry, Wexford. ‘Island, water meadow’.
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Cite this article
A. D. MILLS. "Inch." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. A. D. MILLS. "Inch." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Inch.html A. D. MILLS. "Inch." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Inch.html |
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inch
inch2 (Sc.) small island. XV. — Gael. innis = (O)Ir. inis, W. ynys.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "inch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "inch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-inch1.html T. F. HOAD. "inch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-inch1.html |
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inch
inch see English units of measurement . |
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Cite this article
"inch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "inch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-inch.html "inch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-inch.html |
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inch
inch •Romansh
•blanch, Blanche, branch, ranch, tranche
•avalanche
•backbench, bench, blench, clench, Dench, drench, entrench, French, frontbench, quench, stench, tench, trench, wench, wrench
•crossbench • workbench
•cinch, clinch, finch, flinch, inch, lynch, Minch, pinch, squinch, winch
•chaffinch • greenfinch • hawfinch
•goldfinch • bullfinch
•carte blanche, conch
•graunch, haunch, launch, paunch, raunch, staunch
•brunch, bunch, crunch, hunch, lunch, munch, punch, scrunch
•honeybunch • keypunch
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Cite this article
"inch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "inch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-inch.html "inch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-inch.html |
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