What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Inch vs Dot - What's the difference?

inch | dot | Related terms |

Inch is a related term of dot.


As a noun 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).

As an acronym dot is

department of transportation.

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

    dot

    English

    (wikipedia dot)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small spot.
    • a dot of colour
  • (grammar) A punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence or an abbreviated part of a word; a full stop; a period.
  • A diacritical mark comprised of a small opaque circle above or below any of various letters of the Latin script. Examples include: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, etc.
  • (mathematics) A symbol used for separating the fractional part of a decimal number from the whole part, for indicating multiplication or a scalar product, or for various other purposes.
  • One of the two symbols used in Morse code.
  • (obsolete) A lump or clot.
  • Anything small and like a speck comparatively; a small portion or specimen.
    • a dot of a child
  • (cricket, informal) A dot ball.
    • Synonyms
    * (small spot) speck, spot * (at the end of a sentence or abbreviation) full stop (British), period (US), point * (as a diacritic) tittle (over the letters i and j) * (sense) decimal point * (in Morse code) dit
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from dot) * centered dot, centred dot * connect the dots * dotcom * dot matrix * dot matrix printer * dot product * dottel * dottle * dotty * join the dots * middle dot * off one's dot * on the dot * polka dot * the year dot

    Verb

    (dott)
  • To cover with small spots (of some liquid).
    • His jacket was dotted with splashes of paint.
  • To add a dot (the symbol) or dots to.
    • Dot your i''s and cross your ''t s.
  • To mark by means of dots or small spots.
    • to dot a line
  • To mark or diversify with small detached objects.
    • to dot a landscape with cottages
    Derived terms
    * dot do dot * dot the i's and cross the t's

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Dot product of the previous vector and the following vector.
    • The work is equal to F dot ?x.
    Coordinate terms
    * *

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) dot.

    Alternative forms

    * dote

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US, Louisiana) A dowry.
  • * 1919 , , (The Moon and Sixpence) ,
    • "Have you the pictures still?" I asked.
    "Yes; I am keeping them till my daughter is of marriageable age, and then I shall sell them. They will be her dot ."
  • * 1927 , Anna Bowman Dodd, Talleyrand: the Training of a Statesman :
    • As a bride, Madame de Talleyrand had brought a small dot of fifteen thousand francs to the family fund.

    Anagrams

    * ----