A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Inch, n.1 Also: inche, insche, ynch. [e.m.E. inch, ME. inch(e, ynch(e, OE. ynce, ince, L. uncia. See also Ins(c)h(e.] An inch as a measure of extent.The sing. may be used for the plural after numbers.14.. Acts I. 109/2.
Suilk cruiffis … sal be … tua inch in the lenth and thre inch in the breid Ib. 310/2.
In the roundnes at the boddom lxxi inches Ib. 375/2.
For ilk inch of bred of the wound c1420 Wynt. viii. 5260.
His spere he bare … in the brest ane inch or mare 1425 Acts II. 12/1.
The … ferlote … sal contene in breid evin ourethorte xvi inchys c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 12.
Scho … raid ane inche behind the taill c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 43.
Men seis thare feit … Four inche abone thare proper heillis 1549 Compl. 96/24.
Na Scottis man suld veyr na vaupyn bot ane knif of fife inche of lyntht 1585 Rep. Elphinston Mun. 24.
Ane tow of fiftein faddome of thre insche greit
b. In figurative or colloquial use.c1420 Ballad in c1420 Ratis R. 10/7.
For ilk ynch he wyll thé quyte a spane a1540 Freiris Berw. 266.
Said the gudwyf, ‘Devill inche cun may I’ a1578 Pitsc. II. 135/21.
They could not obtein in all the toune of Sanctandrois … ane inche of ane tow a1605 Montg. Misc. P. vii. 39.
Drie furth the inch as thou hes done the span
c. pl. Small fragments.1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 94.
Thocht the wallis wes wycht, ȝit dowbell battrie brak thame al in inschis
