Term Gallery logo

Meanings of by inches in English

By a short distance.

Usage of by inches in English
1
It gets into the soul; it is stagnation; you die by inches.
The Blind Spot
2
Given that races are often won by inches, crabs are a no-no.
The Irish Times
3
He had got the door open by inches, but not far enough.
The Hellbound Heart
4
Better be poisoned at once than die by inches in this way.
Hunting the Lions
5
It missed us by inches, but we got out of the way.
White night
6
His rocket fired anyway, missing me by inches, exploding several feet away.
Sea of Rust
7
We have heard of dying by inches: this is living by inches.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 102, April, 1866 / A Magazi...
8
At Greenock one measures the rainfall not by inches, but by yards.
The Lost Naval Papers
9
The knife came down, missing him by inches, and he took off.
Catch-22
10
It missed Complain by inches only, for he stood half behind it.
Non-Stop
11
Rivaldo's blistering effort beats the wall and clears the bar by inches.
The Guardian
12
After all one may as well be drowned as die by inches.
The Cornet of Horse: A Tale of Marlborough's Wars
13
If so, you shall never have it, though we burn by inches.
The Lady of Blossholme
14
She was taller than Haven by inches, and broader through the shoulders.
Bullet
15
Instinctively, he leapt back and the metal pipe missed him by inches.
Carte Blanche
16
He dug patiently, steadily, hour after hour, enlarging the hole by inches.
Greyfriars Bobby