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Inch vs Cinch - What's the difference?

inch | cinch |

As nouns the difference between inch and cinch

is that 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 while cinch is a simple saddle girth used in mexico.

As verbs the difference between inch and cinch

is that inch is (followed by a preposition) to advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction) while cinch is to bring to certain conclusion.

inch

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (ang) ynce, from (etyl) . Compare ounce.

Noun

(es)
  • 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.
    • "Don't move an inch !"
  • * Shakespeare
    • Beldame, I think we watched you at an inch .
    Derived terms
    * every inch * * inch-perfect

    Verb

    (es)
  • (followed by a preposition) To advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction).
    • Fearful of falling, he inched along the window ledge.
  • * 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 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.}}
  • To drive by inches, or small degrees.
  • * Dryden
    • He gets too far into the soldier's grace / And inches out my master.
  • To deal out by inches; to give sparingly.
    • Derived terms
    * inch along * inch forward * inch up * inchworm

    See also

    * thou * mil

    Etymology 2

    From Gaelic (innis)

    Noun

    (es)
  • (Scotland) A small island
  • * Sir Walter Scott, Rosabelle
    • The blackening wave is edged with white; / To inch and rock the sea-mews fly.

    Usage notes

    * Found especially in the names of small Scottish islands, e.g. (Inchcolm), (Inchkeith).

    Anagrams

    * English intransitive verbs

    cinch

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • A simple saddle girth used in Mexico.
  • * He found Andy morosely replacing some broken strands in his cinch , and he went straight at the mooted question. — B. M. Bower, The Flying U's Last Stand
  • (informal) Something that is very easy to do.
    • No problem ... it's a cinch .
  • * "We thought we had a cinch on getting out by way of this cord and so we followed that." — Major Archibald Lee Fletcher, Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns
  • (informal) A firm hold.
  • * You've got the cinch on him. You could send him to quod, and I'd send him there as quick as lightning. I'd hang him, if I could, for what he done to Lil Sarnia. — Gilbert Parker, The World For Sale,

    • Synonyms

    * (something that is very easy to do) See also (an activity that is easy) * breeze * cakewalk * doddle * piece of cake * walk in the park * walkover

    Verb

  • To bring to certain conclusion.
  • To tighten down.

    • Quotations

    * 1911', ''"I intend to '''cinch that government business."'' — Margaret Burnham, ''The Girl Aviators' Sky Cruise

    Derived terms

    * cincher