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inch
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
inch
I.noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
3 feet/1 cm/two inches etc thick
▪ The walls are about two meters thick.
3 inches/1 metre etc in diameter
▪ Draw a circle six centimetres in diameter.
6ft/2m/12 inches etc tall
▪ He’s only 5 feet tall.
an inch/25mm etc of rain
▪ Two inches of rain fell in twelve hours.
budge an inch
▪ The horse refused to budge an inch.
column inches (=space in a newspaper or magazine)
▪ Many column inches have recently been devoted to the troubled pop star.
cubic centimetre/metre/inch etc
▪ 75,000 million cubic metres of gas
grow 2 inches/5 cm etc
▪ Stan grew two inches in six months.
not trust sb an inch/not trust sb as far as you can throw them (=not trust someone at all)
several inches/feet of snow
▪ More than eight inches of snow fell in 48 hours.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
cubic
▪ These have a radius of about ten miles and densities of millions of tons per cubic inch.
square
▪ This is rather over 2000 tons per square inch.
▪ Rats have less than a square inch of cortex, less than humans by a factor of 500.
▪ You have more sweat glands and blood vessels per square inch in your scalp than any other part of your body.
▪ In other words, Washington must remain urgently concerned about every square inch of the planet.
▪ Pluto and Lawrence &038; Wishart were there, all 18 square inches of them.
▪ Each pad, about a square inch, treats half a cubic foot.
▪ That means its print head can squirt 1, 440, 000 little dots of ink on each square inch of paper.
▪ He looked me over carefully, appraising every visible square inch.
■ NOUN
column
▪ Meanwhile, there was the question of his presents, to which much time and many column inches were devoted.
▪ Between this and stories on Burke of the Somme, Chant's death attracted a lot of column inches.
▪ A column inch is one column wide by one inch deep.
▪ We have this morning's here, Chock full of column inches on yourself.
▪ Now it merits but a few column inches in a few papers.
▪ The official excuse for a sudden wave sweeping every column inch of coverage is that a genuine revelation has occurred.
▪ And by the spring of 1988, the column inches devoted to her in Britain's tabloids were adding up to miles.
diameter
▪ All these wheels are 16 inch diameter.
▪ At the dome, as many as four pumps were running, pushing water out through 23-inch diameter hoses.
■ VERB
give
▪ I mean, give them an inch ... The speculation about Lady Diana's trousseau continues.
▪ It becomes ridiculous, but neither team wants to give an inch.
▪ She had refused to give an inch.
▪ He gave me an inch in a tumbler.
▪ Neither side wanted to give an inch but there was no unpleasantness either.
▪ I doubt that my stubborn friend, their lawyer, ever gave an inch, either.
▪ Peacock proud and stubborn with it, neither giving an inch.
▪ I was just a novice and he was fairly frightening, not giving an inch until he had sounded you out.
grow
▪ She grew four inches in a year.
▪ In a year he had not grown an inch or gained a pound, and no one had noticed.
▪ Left: Fish of this size and quality were all grown on from 4-6 inch youngsters in only a year.
▪ He had grown another inch or two but he was still plump and rosy, with a solid contented look about him.
▪ The stout plant will grow up to 12 inches in slow-flowing rivers in their natural habitat.
▪ Each fingernail grows about an half inch every three months, and toenails about a third of that rate.
▪ Then I seemed to grow a couple of inches, and thin out.
▪ They believed he would grow by six inches - but Steven added another two for good measure.
look
▪ Paula looked every inch a model these days, Arlene thought with a touch of proprietorial pride.
▪ He speaks with a public school accent and looks every inch the business executive he, of course, is.
▪ He looks every inch a chaser and, after a season off through injury, is back firing again.
▪ At these moments he looks closely at each inch of her face, like a valuer frowningly examining some precious object.
▪ And Natasha Wagner looks every inch a Hollywood beauty.
▪ He looked every inch an ex-world-class racing driver.
lose
▪ For this reason Contour is offering a free, no obligation trial - you've nothing to lose but inches.
▪ She had lost 8 inches off her waist and a staggering 10 inches off her hips over a period of seven months.
▪ He had lost 4 3/4 inches from his body.
▪ I promise you've got absolutely nothing to lose but your inches.
▪ Another ¾ from my tum and whilst my thighs and knees remain the same I've lost ¼ inch off each arm.
▪ In the end only 11 percent said they did not particularly lose more inches than previous dieting attempts had produced.
▪ She had lost only 1 inch off her 39 inch bust.
▪ I have no doubt that you will have lost both inches and weight.
measure
▪ The body itself was not much more than five feet tall, the coffin measuring five foot 6 inches in length.
▪ According to her publicists, who had little else except her lubricious reputation to publicize, they measured 40 inches.
▪ It measured six inches by four and was three quarters of an inch thick, with thread-bound pages.
▪ It measures 42 inches by 42 inches in height and width.
▪ Wrapped in a polythene bag measuring nine by 18 inches, the money was lying four inches below the surface.
▪ It measures 3 5/8 inches in height and width.
move
▪ She had barely moved an inch when she was aware of the sound of footsteps.
▪ Nobody colored was going to be allowed to move an inch more, much less claim bodies.
▪ She had not moved more than a few inches when one of the men broke free, his fist smashing downwards.
▪ Not stolen, we haven't moved it an inch.
▪ We were the only ones in the cellar, apart from the barman who was too frightened to move an inch.
▪ Jenny and Antony moved a few inches further apart, then giggled at each other because of the involuntary movement.
▪ Deep breath, hold it, whirr, click, move up an inch, breathe again.
▪ She moved a few more inches and made another plan.
open
▪ He rapped three times on the door of Room 144, it was opened a few inches.
▪ If a child can open them more than four inches he could fall out.
▪ There, under the apex of the roof, was a small window, open a few precious inches.
stand
▪ He was a handsome man, standing five feet nine inches and weighing twelve stone.
▪ With high heels she stood at least an inch over me.
▪ The door stood open a few inches.
▪ It stood open about an inch.
▪ Noah stood six inches high, with a white beard to his knees and wading boots of real rubber.
trust
▪ I didn't trust her an inch.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
push/grope/inch etc your way somewhere
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ She looks every inch the high-powered businesswoman.
▪ Storms have dumped nine inches on San Antonio since Wednesday.
▪ The next bullet missed Billy's kneecaps by inches.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Cut into rounds 1 inch larger in diameter than casseroles.
▪ Fourteen inches from the floor it's supposed to be, yet it's nearly tripping me.
▪ Hanns Ebensten describes the puppets as' marionettes, on strings, about fourteen inches high.
▪ He gave me an inch in a tumbler.
▪ Set the pumpkins in a baking dish and add 1 / 4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan.
▪ She could see that her hair had grown by perhaps half an inch.
▪ When Terrence Real was a boy, his father routinely threatened to beat him within an inch of his life.
II.verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
forward
▪ Steadily the grey tide inched forward.
▪ Calmly, he waited for Garcia to inch forward and flicked the ball over him for the lead.
▪ Masklin looked up as the trolley inched forward.
▪ The baby then begins to inch forward, using his legs primarily.
▪ Do I inch forward confidently, eyes focused with determination on you-ahead, not back, down or sideways?
▪ I was inching forward now, and nothing was going to stop me.
▪ Swallowing hard, she crawled once more under the rail and inched forward, keeping her eyes on the ground as she went.
▪ The students continued to inch forward, battling police for almost three hours.
up
▪ An interim inched up by 5 p.c. to 1.45p, payable on June 1, takes the yield to 2.9 p.c.
▪ An underwater video shows the fuel assembly inching up, then swinging free.
▪ Fifteen-year mortgage rates inched up to 7. 15 percent from 7. 13 percent.
▪ She inched up on the competition, gaining, gaining, until she managed the impossible.
▪ The plane inched up to the terminal, scaring him.
▪ Her pillow inched up the wall.
▪ The Standard &038; Poor's 500-stock index inched up 1.29, to 1241.23.
▪ We inched up over the ridge and began our descent on to the high, tree-stippled plateau of far western Chihuahua.
■ NOUN
way
▪ He can also slowly inch his way up the stairwell at a rate of 1 foot per round.
▪ One of the pods was inching its way out into space.
▪ With clenched teeth, keeping her head low and her eyes half-closed, she hugged the cliff-face and inched her way along.
▪ It was 12: 21 P. M. Newfoundland time when the Friendship finally inched its way into the air.
▪ Tom and Willie inched their way between them.
▪ I memorize its features and inch my way toward the bookshelf.
▪ Coming round one corner we were suddenly confronted by a large, dome-shaped rock inching its way steadily across our path.
▪ George says softly to me as I finally inch my way past the last obstacle.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ I inched my way across the crowded room to where Lou was standing.
▪ The car inched forward into the narrow parking space.
▪ We watched the cat inching along the ground, not taking its eyes off the bird for a second.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ As the number of voters backing Alexander has inched upward, so too has the number of those who view him favorably.
▪ I was inching forward now, and nothing was going to stop me.
▪ Masklin looked up as the trolley inched forward.
▪ One of the pods was inching its way out into space.
▪ She inched towards him, daring him to move before she had shaken off the latest man to accost her.
▪ The roar of the water coming down the gully drummed at my ears as I inched the Toyota into the bend.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Inch

Inch \Inch\ ([i^]nch), n. [Gael. inis.] An island; -- often used in the names of small islands off the coast of Scotland, as in Inchcolm, Inchkeith, etc.

Inch

Inch \Inch\, n. [OE. inche, unche, AS. ynce, L. uncia the twelfth part, inch, ounce. See Ounce a weight.]

  1. A measure of length, the twelfth part of a foot, commonly subdivided into halves, quarters, eights, sixteenths, etc., as among mechanics. It was also formerly divided into twelve parts, called lines, and originally into three parts, called barleycorns, its length supposed to have been determined from three grains of barley placed end to end lengthwise. It is also sometimes called a prime ('), composed of twelve seconds (''), as in the duodecimal system of arithmetic.

    12 seconds ('') make 1 inch or prime. 12 inches or primes (') make 1 foot.
    --B. Greenleaf.

    Note: The meter, the accepted scientific standard of length, equals 39.37 inches; the inch is equal to

  2. 54 centimeters. See Metric system, and Meter.

    2. A small distance or degree, whether of time or space; hence, a critical moment; also used metaphorically of minor concessins in bargaining; as, he won't give an inch; give him an inch and he'll take a mile.

    Beldame, I think we watched you at an inch.
    --Shak.

    By inches, by slow degrees, gradually.

    Inch of candle. See under Candle.

    Inches of pressure, usually, the pressure indicated by so many inches of a mercury column, as on a steam gauge.

    Inch of water. See under Water.

    Miner's inch, (Hydraulic Mining), a unit for the measurement of water. See Inch of water, under Water.

Inch

Inch \Inch\, v. i. To advance or retire by inches or small degrees; to move slowly; as, to inch forward.

With slow paces measures back the field, And inches to the walls.
--Dryden.

Inch

Inch \Inch\, a. Measuring an inch in any dimension, whether length, breadth, or thickness; -- used in composition; as, a two-inch cable; a four-inch plank.

Inch stuff, boards, etc., sawed one inch thick.

Inch

Inch \Inch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inched; p. pr. & vb. n. Inching.]

  1. To drive by inches, or small degrees. [R.]

    He gets too far into the soldier's grace And inches out my master.
    --Dryden.

  2. To deal out by inches; to give sparingly. [R.]

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
inch

"linear measure, one-twelfth of a foot," late Old English ynce, Middle English unche (current spelling c.1300), from Latin uncia "a twelfth part," from root of unus "one" (see one). An early borrowing from Latin, not found in any other Germanic language. Transferred and figurative sense of "a very small amount" is attested from mid-14c. For phrase give him an inch ... see ell.

inch

"small Scottish island," early 15c., from Gaelic innis (genitive innse) "island, land by a river," from Celtic *inissi (cognates: Old Irish inis, Welsh ynys, Breton enez).

inch

"move little by little," 1590s, from inch (n.1). Related: Inched; inching.

Wiktionary
inch

Etymology 1 n. 1 A unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot, or exactly 2.54 centimetres. 2 (context meteorology English) The amount of water which would cover a surface to the depth of an inch, used as a measurement of rainfall. 3 The amount of an alcoholic beverage which would fill a glass or bottle to the depth of an inch. 4 (context figuratively English) A very short distance. vb. (context intransitive followed by a preposition English) To advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction). Etymology 2

n. (context Scotland English) A small island

WordNet
inch

v. advance slowly, as if by inches; "He edged towards the car" [syn: edge]

inch
  1. n. a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot [syn: in]

  2. a unit of measurement for advertising space [syn: column inch]

Wikipedia
Inch

An inch (plural: inches; abbreviation or symbol: in or – a double prime) is a unit of length in the imperial and United States customary systems of measurement. Historically, an inch was also used in a number of other systems of units. Traditional standards for the exact length of an inch have varied in the past, but since July 1959, when the international yard was defined as 0.9144 metres, the international inch has been exactly 25.4 mm. There are 12 inches in a foot and 36 inches in a yard.

Inch (disambiguation)

An inch is a unit of measurement.

Inch or inches may also refer to

Inch (band)

Inch was a pop-punk band formed in San Diego in 1992. The group was founded by former Sub Society vocalist Michael "Stimy" Steinman, guitarist Mike Paprocki and bassist Jeff Reese.

Usage examples of "inch".

In less time than it once took her heart to beat, Allison had the man by the front of his ragged, sweat-brittle flannel shirt and three inches off the ground.

We faced each other and pushed our shoes against each other, each of us bracing like an Alpinist inching his way up a rock chimneymy socks against her tennis shoes, rather, for my shoes were still on my workbench, so far as I knew I wondered if they had simply dumped Oscar in the pasture and if Dad would find him.

After another minute or so with nothing but a few eye blinks lending her face a live look, she shook her head a slightly, moving her chin a bare inch each way, then with her eyes glued to Andi until the final second, she slipped out the door without comment.

Similar mark on the left upper arm two inches above the antecubital space.

Could feel in the tips of my fingers exactly what needed to be done, could see in the back of my eyes the heart, smaller than my fist, the slippery, pumping, rubbery muscle and the blood washing through the ductus arteriosus, a small vessel, no bigger than an eighth of an inch in circumference.

Tenjo, children threw up ascarids six inches long and some almost strangled on them.

On the ground ten feet away he found the long cape of the stranger, and to it was adhering several black feathers, glossily ashine, and several inches in length.

The Atlantean was shorter by an inch or two than himself, thick of upper arm and shoulder, the width of which was somewhat balanced by a sizable paunch.

In an effort to hide her Auca ancestry she combs her hair down to cover her disfigured ear lobes-- ear lobes once adorned with round balsa wood plugs more than an inch in diameter.

One of my pieces has been reworked by a real master and it will shoot into two inches with good ammunition when I do my part, yet it functions better than any other autopistol I own.

There were still long lines of civilian autos, pickups, minivans, and SUVs inching slowly south toward the junction with Interstate 25, the main road to Albuquerque.

My entrails dangling just inches above the water, so the Axumite marines could bet on the sharks competing for them.

Tiber rose just enough to ensure that some of the public latrines backfilled and floated excrement out of their doors, a vegetable shortage developed when the Campus Martius and the Campus Vaticanus were covered with a few inches of water, and shoddily built high-rise insulae began to crumble into total collapse or suddenly manifested huge cracks in walls and foundations.

The baho, which is inserted in the roof of the kiva, is a piece of willow twig about six inches long, stripped of its bark and painted.

Around them every inch of deck was occupied, yet room continued to be found for late arrivals, whole families happily wedged into openings barely larger than a telephone booth, dozing babies dangled in beadwork carriers from hooks in the overhead beams.