- inch
- inchinch1 [inch]n.[ME inche < OE ynce < L uncia, twelfth part, inch, OUNCE1]1. a unit of length in the FPS system, equal to 1/ 12 foot (2.54 cm): symbol, ″: abbrev. in2. a fall (of rain, snow, etc.) equal to the amount that would cover a surface to the depth of one inch3. a unit of pressure as measured by a barometer or manometer, equal to the pressure balanced by the weight on a one-inch column of liquid, usually mercury, in the instrument4. a very small amount, degree, or distance; trifle; bitvt., vi.to move by inches or degrees; move very slowly——————every inchin all respects; thoroughly——————inch by inchgradually; slowly; by degrees: also by inches——————within an inch ofvery close to; almost to——————within an inch of one's lifealmost to the point of death: often used hyperbolicallyinch2 [inch]n.[ME < Gael innis, island]in Scotland and Ireland, an isolated piece of land, as a small island or hill
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.