Atom vs Inch - What's the difference?
atom | inch | Synonyms |
(history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter.
(physics, chemistry) The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=
, magazine=(American Scientist), title= A mote of dust in a sunbeam.
The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something. (Now generally interpreted as a figurative use of the physics sense, above.)
* 1835 , Sir , Sir (James Clark Ross),
A very small amount (of something immaterial); a whit.
* 1873 , (Isabella Macdonald Alden) (as "Pansy"), Three People , Western Tract and Book Society (1873),
*
(mathematics) A non-zero member of a (Boolean algebra) that is not a union of any other elements.
(computing, programming, Lisp) An individual number or symbol, as opposed to a list. A scalar value.
A unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot, or exactly 2.54 centimetres.
(meteorology) The amount of water which would cover a surface to the depth of an inch, used as a measurement of rainfall.
The amount of an alcoholic beverage which would fill a glass or bottle to the depth of an inch.
(figuratively) A very short distance.
* Shakespeare
(followed by a preposition) To advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction).
* 1957 , :
*:The window blind had been lowered — Zooey had done all his bathtub reading by the light from the three-bulb overhead fixture—but a fraction of morning light inched under the blind and onto the title page of the manuscript.
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=May 9
, author=John Percy
, title=Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2-3 on agg): match report
, work=the Telegraph
To drive by inches, or small degrees.
* Dryden
To deal out by inches; to give sparingly.
(Scotland) A small island
* Sir Walter Scott, Rosabelle
Atom is a synonym of inch.
As nouns the difference between atom and inch
is that atom is an (l) while inch is a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot, or exactly 254 centimetres or inch can be (scotland) a small island.As a verb inch is
(followed by a preposition) to advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction).atom
English
(wikipedia atom)Alternative forms
* atomus (obsolete)Noun
(en noun)Katie L. Burke
In the News, passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:
Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …'', Volume 1, pp.284-5
- Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.
page 325:
- "I have hardly the faintest atom of hope," answered this honest, earnest man.
- those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength
Synonyms
* See also * (small amount) see also .See also
* elementReferences
*archived version of Wikipedia page "Atom (disambiguation)"
Anagrams
* * * * * ----inch
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (ang) ynce, from (etyl) . Compare ounce.Noun
(es)- "Don't move an inch !"
- Beldame, I think we watched you at an inch .
Derived terms
* every inch * * inch-perfectVerb
(es)- Fearful of falling, he inched along the window ledge.
citation, page= , passage=Already guarding a 1-0 lead from the first leg, Blackpool inched further ahead when Stephen Dobbie scored from an acute angle on the stroke of half-time. The game appeared to be completely beyond Birmingham’s reach three minutes into the second period when Matt Phillips reacted quickly to bundle the ball past Colin Doyle and off a post.}}
- He gets too far into the soldier's grace / And inches out my master.
Derived terms
* inch along * inch forward * inch up * inchwormSee also
* thou * milEtymology 2
From Gaelic (innis)Noun
(es)- The blackening wave is edged with white; / To inch and rock the sea-mews fly.