half-inch
UK[ˌhɑːf ˈɪntʃ]US[ˌhæf ˈɪntʃ]
adj
Measuring half an inch in length, width, or diameter.
v
To move or advance slowly and cautiously in small increments.
v
To steal or pilfer something.
Morpheme Breakdown
half
inch
half
one of two equal parts
inch
unit of length
Etymology
The compound 'half-inch' is a straightforward combination of two ancient measurement terms. 'Half' originates from the Proto-Germanic concept of division, while 'inch' derives from the Latin uncia, a unit representing one-twelfth. Literally, the term denotes a precise linear measurement of half of one-twelfth of a foot. The verb sense meaning "to steal" is 20th-century British rhyming slang, where "half-inch" rhymes with "pinch," a slang term for theft. The sense of moving cautiously plays on the idea of advancing by tiny, inch-by-inch increments.
Analysis
Structure: half (one of two equal parts) + inch (unit of length)
half: From Old English healf, meaning "side, part," and from Proto-Germanic halbaz, meaning "divided." It functions as a quantifier denoting one of two equal parts.
inch: From Old English ynce, meaning "a twelfth of a foot," borrowed from Latin uncia, meaning "a twelfth part, one-twelfth of a Roman foot." It functions as a noun specifying the unit of measurement.
Examples
He needed a half-inch bolt to complete the repair.
The soldiers had to half-inch their way through the dense undergrowth.
Someone managed to half-inch my lunch from the office fridge.