noun
inch
ihnch
noun
1
A unit of length equal to 1/12 of a foot, or 2.54 centimetres.
"The photo measures four inches by six inches."
2
A very small amount or distance.
"She wouldn't give an inch during the negotiation."
verb
1
To move slowly and carefully, little by little.
"The car inched forward through the traffic jam."
"He inched closer to the edge of the roof."
How to Use Inch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small unit of length, or (as a verb) to creep forward gradually.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
inch forward
inch closer
every inch
not give an inch
Word Forms
inched past tense, inched past tense, inches plural, inch plural, inches plural, inches singular, inches singular
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The photo measures four _____ by six inches.
Etymology
From Old English ynce, borrowed from Latin uncia, meaning "a twelfth part" — the same root that gives us "ounce."