Middle English Dictionary Entry
inch(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | inch(e n. Also unch(e, enche, ninche, neinche. Pl. inches, etc. & unchene, unchun, enchen & inche, unch(e, ench. |
| Etymology | OE ynce, from L uncia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A measure of length equal to the twelfth part of a foot; smal ~, an inch; withouten ~, less an inch; (b) large ~, the Saxon inch, equal to 1.1 inches.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23970 : He wunde afeng feouwer unchene long.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1034 : Hwo so mithe putten þore Biforn a-noþer, an inch or more..He was for a kempe told.
- ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Archaeol.J.1 (Hrl 2253)65 : Bore holes acros ithe iiij sides, that is to siggen, the verste iiij holes an v unchun..from the grount.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)36/746 : At is mouþ fif toskes stoden out; Euerich was fif enches about.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)125/2664 : Eiȝte toskes at is mouþ stod out; Þe leste was seuentene ench about.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3302 : Þe places on þe toure war þat fyr haþ hente, þer ne wanteþ noȝt enches foure þat þay ne buþ þorw brente.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4660 : Þey were..seue fet of lengþe..& þre enchen more.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)332a/a : An vnche [L digitus] is þe leste party of mesures of feldes, and vncia conteyneþ þre ynche in mesure..and þe foote sixtene.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55a/b : Þat euery pece [of cloþe] be applied in euery side of þe wonde after distance of an ynch [L pollicis].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)116b/b : Make a pilowe of linnen cloþe..a ninche brode oþer more.
- (1439) Agree.Build.St.John in BAAJ 25118 : Eche sparre shal bere the brede of x unches, & the thyknes of viij unches.
- (1439) RParl.5.30b : There as they were wonte to mete Clothe by yerde and ynche, nowe they woll mete by yerde and handfull.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10038 : Fro þe hilte vnto þe pomel Was twenti vnche large.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)288 : He bare a schafte..It was..One and twenty inches aboute.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)77 : Þat poynt whech is at coloyn of too unch long was broken fro þis nayl..of charles whan he was emperour.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)381 : Tweyne vnchys entirfoyned hurteth more Then kerf or ege.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)435/3 : One place of lond..conteynyth..in brede xiiij elnys with-out ynche.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)153 : Therwith daube thi jordan al aboute half ynche thicke.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)38b/b : The firste gutt is callid duodenum, ffor it is twelue ynchis in lenkþe.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)149b/a : A boond þat þe schuldre schal be bounden wiþ al schal be sixe ynche brood.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)44 : iij barley cornys þat is in þe mydiste off þe eyre makithe a enche, and xii enchis makithe a foote.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)121/21 : Kut þem [the barley-sugar sticks] with a peyre scherys on þe clothe, ilk a pese as mychest as a smale ynche.
- a1500 Quest.MOxf.(Hrl 1304)285 : C.: And of what lengith was Adam? M.: Of fowre-score and of vi enchen.
b
- (c1392) ?Westwyk EPlanets (Peterh 75)18/20 : The hole diametre of this plate shal contiene 16 enches large.
- (c1392) ?Westwyk EPlanets (Peterh 75)24/18 : Tak..a barre of metal of the brede of a large enche.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)629 : Arthur smote hym on the lifte shuldre in to the flesshe two large ynche.
2.
(a) A small part; a short distance or space of time; an ~, a bit, at all; everi an ~, every bit; (b) in sayings.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350(?c1280) SLeg.Prol.CV (Ashm 43)40 : Þe tyme hem þoȝte longe Inouȝ; ech vnche hem þoȝte a sponne.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.100 : Al my brest bolniþ for bittir of my galle; May no sugre ne swet þing swage it an vnche [vr. Inche].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5101 : Thou art not an inche the nerre.
- a1450 St.Etheldr.(Fst B.3)720 : Þat ston was well ygraue euery geyntte..With ryȝt curiose crafte eueryche a neynche.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)425 : So grete trees..With croppes brode and eke as thikke -- They were nat an ynche asonder -- That hit was shadewe overal under.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1112 : Of an ynche a large spanne Be colour of the pees thei made.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.819 : For thow ye brynke foorth al your hool bunch, Ȝe shal not make an elne of an vnch.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 127/14 : Loke þat þou have an erthen panne þat hit be a hynche of thiknes and þat hit be wele aneled for þe fire.
Note: New spelling.