Chapter Incense-breathing to Incidental of I by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Incest
(In"cest) n. [F. inceste, L. incestum unchastity, incest, fr. incestus unchaste; pref. in- not + castus chaste. See Chaste.] The crime of cohabitation or sexual commerce between persons related within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law. Shak.

Spiritual incest. (Eccl. Law) (a) The crime of cohabitation committed between persons who have a spiritual alliance by means of baptism or confirmation. (b) The act of a vicar, or other beneficiary, who holds two benefices, the one depending on the collation of the other.

Incesttuous
(In*cest"tu*ous) a. [L. incestuosus: cf. F. incestueux.] Guilty of incest; involving, or pertaining to, the crime of incest; as, an incestuous person or connection. Shak.

Ere you reach to this incestuous love,
You must divine and human rights remove.

Dryden.

— In*cest"tu*ous*ly, adv. — In*cest"tu*ous*ness, n.

Inch
(Inch) n. [Gael. inis.] An island; — often used in the names of small islands off the coast of Scotland, as in Inchcolm, Inchkeith, etc. [Scot.]

Inch
(Inch), n. [OE. inche, unche, AS. ynce, L. uncia the twelfth part, inch, ounce. See Ounce a weight.]

1. A measure of length, the twelfth part of a foot, commonly subdivided into halves, quarters, eights, sixteenths, etc., as among mechanics. It was also formerly divided into twelve parts, called lines, and originally into three parts, called barleycorns, its length supposed to have been determined from three grains of barley placed end to end lengthwise. It is also sometimes called a prime composed of twelve seconds as in the duodecimal system of arithmetic.

12 seconds (&prime&prime) make 1 inch or prime. 12 inches or primes (&prime) make 1 foot.

B. Greenleaf.

The meter, the accepted scientific standard of length, equals 39.37 inches; the inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters. See Metric system, and Meter.

2. A small distance or degree, whether of time or space; hence, a critical moment.

Beldame, I think we watched you at an inch.

Shak.

By inches, by slow degrees, gradually. — Inch of candle. See under Candle. — Inches of pressure, usually, the pressure indicated by so many inches of a mercury column, as on a steam gauge. — Inch of water. See under Water. — Miner's inch, (Hydraulic Mining), a unit for the measurement of water. See Inch of water, under Water.

Inch
(Inch) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inched ; p. pr. & vb. n. Inching.]

1. To drive by inches, or small degrees. [R.]

He gets too far into the soldier's grace
And inches out my master.

Dryden.

2. To deal out by inches; to give sparingly. [R.]

Inch
(Inch), v. i. To advance or retire by inches or small degrees; to move slowly.

With slow paces measures back the field,
And inches to the walls.

Dryden.

Inch
(Inch), a. Measuring an inch in any dimension, whether length, breadth, or thickness; — used in composition; as, a two-inch cable; a four-inch plank.

Inch stuff, boards, etc., sawed one inch thick.