1 (abbreviation in.) a unit for measuring length, equal to 2.54 CENTIMETRES. There are twelve inches in a FOOT:
1.14 inches of rain fell last night. * She's a few inches taller than me. * a fat envelope about half an inch thick * Since I started jogging I've lost three and a half inches from my waistline.
2 a small amount or distance:
He escaped death by an inch. * The car missed us by inches. * Ronaldo was just inches away from scoring.
IDIOMS
every inch
1 the whole of sth:
The doctor examined every inch of his body. * (figurative) If they try to fire me I'll fight them every inch of the way.
2 completely:
In his first game the young player already looked every inch a winner.
give sb an inch (and they'll take a mile / yard) (saying) used to say that if you allow some people a small amount of freedom or power they will see you as weak and try to take a lot more
inch by inch very slowly and with great care or difficulty:
She crawled forward inch by inch.
not budge / give / move an inch to refuse to change your position, decision, etc. even a little:
We tried to negotiate a lower price but they wouldn't budge an inch.
within an inch of sth / of doing sth very close to sth/doing sth:
She was within an inch of being killed. * They beat him within an inch of his life (= very severely).
moreatTRUSTv.
verb [+adv./prep.] to move or make sth move slowly and carefully in a particular direction: [V] She moved forward, inching towards the rope. * [VN] I inched the car forward. * He inched his way through the narrow passage.
