Meaning of inch In English

• 0 a unit used for measuring length, approximately equal to 2.54 centimetres, sometimes shown by the symbol ″:

  • Twelve inches are equal to one foot.

  • He had a cut an inch long above his left eye.

  • The snow was six inches deep in some places.

  • a piece of wood 2″ by 2″

• 1 to move very slowly or in a lot of short stages:

  • We are inching towards an agreement.

  • Share prices inched up/higher during the day.

  • Residents watched the flames inch closer and closer.

• 2 a unit of measurement of length equal to 1/12 foot or 2.54 centimeters

• 3 to move very slowly, or in a lot of short stages:

  • [ I ] Stock prices inched higher throughout the afternoon.

  • [ T ] Mike inched the bookcase into position.

• 4 a unit of measure equal to one-twelfth of a foot or 2.54 centimetres:

  • Eighteen inches of snow disrupted deliveries across the Midwest.

  • The tablet computer's screen measures 9.4 inches diagonally.

  • Sheet metal cladding costs more per square inch than reinforced plastic.

• 5 to move very slowly or in a lot of short stages:

  • inch ahead/along/forward Crates inched along the conveyor belt on their way out of the warehouse.

  • Legislators inched closer to closing a loophole in the law.

  • inch up/upward Stocks slowly inched upward in March.