inch
UK[ɪntʃ]US[ɪntʃ]
n
a unit for measuring length, equal to 2.54 centimetres or one twelfth of a foot
v
to move or make something move slowly and carefully in a particular direction
Etymology
The word "inch" originates from the Latin term "uncia," which denoted a twelfth part, specifically one twelfth of a Roman foot. This Latin word was adopted into Old English as "ynce" or "ince" to describe this small unit of linear measure. The semantic journey is direct, moving from the abstract concept of a fractional part to its precise modern definition as 1/12 of a foot. Its use as a verb, meaning to move by small degrees, is a later figurative extension from the noun's sense of a tiny, incremental unit of space.
Analysis
The word "inch" is a simplex word of Old English origin, derived from the Latin "uncia" meaning "one twelfth part." It entered English as a direct borrowing and unit of measurement.
Examples
The shelf is exactly thirty inches wide.
He inched his way through the narrow tunnel.
Rainfall was over an inch last night.