| Inch 1. (n.) An island; -- often used in the names of small islands off the coast of Scotland, as in Inchcolm, Inchkeith, etc. 2. (n.) 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. 3. (n.) A small distance or degree, whether of time or space; hence, a critical moment. 4. (v. t.) To drive by inches, or small degrees. 5. (v. t.) To deal out by inches; to give sparingly. 6. (v. i.) To advance or retire by inches or small degrees; to move slowly. 7. (a.) Measurement an inch in any dimension, whether length, breadth, or thickness; -- used in composition; as, a two-inch cable; a four-inch plank. Thesaurus Entries ace, amble, bit, bowshot, brief span, claudicate, close quarters, close range, crack, crawl, creep, crowd, dogtrot, drag, drag along, drag out, drive on, earreach, earshot, forge ahead, go dead slow, go on tiptoe, go slow, grovel, gumshoe, gunshot, hair, hair space, hairbreadth, hairsbreadth, hobble, idle, inch along, inch forward, jog-trot, laze, limp, little, little ways, mosey, muddle through, nightwalk, pad, pistol shot, poke, poke along, press forward, press on, prowl, push, push forward, push on, pussyfoot, saunter, scrabble, scramble, short distance, short piece, short way, shuffle along, sidle, slink, snake, sneak, span, spitting distance, stagger along, steal, steal along, step, stroll, tippytoe, tiptoe, toddle, toddle along, totter along, traipse, waddle, walk, worm, worm along |