by inches Idiom, Proverb
by inches|inch|inches
adv. phr. By small or slow degrees; little by little; gradually.
The river was rising by inches. They got a heavy wooden beam under the barn for a lever, and managed to move it by inches. He was dying by inches.
by inches
by inches Also,
inch by inch. Gradually, bit by bit, as in
We found ourselves in rush hour traffic, moving by inches. Shakespeare used this term in
Coriolanus (5:4): “They'll give him death by inches.” Despite the increasing use of metric measurements, it survives, often as an exaggeration of the actual circumstance. The phrase
to inch along, first recorded in 1812, means “to move bit by bit,” as in
There was a long line at the theater, just inching along.by inches
Slowly over time. You won't advance your brand all at once, but rather, by inches throughout the semester.Learn more: by, inchby inches
Also, inch by inch. Gradually, bit by bit, as in We begin ourselves in blitz hour traffic, affective by inches. Shakespeare acclimated this appellation in Coriolanus (5:4): "They'll accord him afterlife by inches." Despite the accretion use of metric measurements, it survives, generally as an exaggeration of the absolute circumstance. The byword to inch along, aboriginal recorded in 1812, agency "to move bit by bit," as in There was a continued band at the theater, aloof inching along. Learn more: by, inch