Thumb vs. Inch — What's the Difference?

Request or obtain (a free ride in a passing vehicle) by signalling with one's thumb

Used to express small distances or movements.

A digit on the human hand, opposable to the fingers.

A measure used in various fields like engineering.

The thumb is the first finger of the hand, next to the index finger. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position (where the palm is facing to the front), the thumb is the outermost finger.

A unit of length equal to 1/12 of a foot.

The short, thick first digit of the human hand, set lower and apart from the other four and opposable to them.

The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to 1/36 yard or 1/12 of a foot.

Press, move, or touch (something) with one's thumb

A unit of length in the US Customary and British Imperial systems, equal to 1/12 of a foot (2.54 centimeters). See Table at measurement.

Turn over (pages) with or as if with one's thumb

A fall, as of rain or snow, sufficient to cover a surface to the depth of one inch.

The short thick digit of the human hand, next to the index finger and opposable to each of the other four digits.

A unit of atmospheric pressure that is equal to the pressure exerted by a one-inch column of mercury at the earth's surface at a temperature of 0°C.

A corresponding digit in other animals, especially primates. Also called pollex.

A very small degree or amount

The part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb.

A small island.

(Architecture) An ovolo.

To move or cause to move slowly or by small degrees

To scan (written matter) by turning over pages with or as if with the thumb.

An English unit of length equal to 1/12 of a foot or 2.54 cm, roughly the width of a thumb.

To disarrange, soil, or wear by careless or frequent handling.

(figuratively) Any very short distance.

(Informal) To solicit (a ride) from a passing vehicle by signaling with the thumb.

Any of various similar units of length in other traditional systems of measurement.

To scan written matter by turning over pages with or as if with the thumb

(meteorology) A depth of one inch on the ground, used as a measurement of rainfall.

(Informal) To hitchhike.

A depth of one inch in a glass, used as a rough measurement of alcoholic beverages.

The short thick digit of the hand that for humans has the most mobility and can be made to oppose (moved to touch) all of the other fingers.

A small island#Noun; an islet#Noun.

(GUI) The part of a slider that may be moved linearly along the slider.

A meadow#Noun, pasture#Noun, field#Noun, or haugh#Noun.

A thumbnail picture.

To advance very slowly, or by a small amount (in a particular direction).

(transitive) To touch or cover with the thumb.

To drive by inches, or small degrees.

To turn the pages of (a book) in order to read it cursorily.

To deal out by inches; to give sparingly.

(travel) To hitchhike

To humiliate; to provoke; to speak in a cocky and cheeky manner

To soil or wear with the thumb or the fingers; to soil, or wear out, by frequent handling.

Cocky and cheeky

To manipulate (an object) with the thumb; especially, to pull back the hammer or open the cylinder of a revolver.

An island; - often used in the names of small islands off the coast of Scotland, as in Inchcolm, Inchkeith, etc.

To fire (a single action revolver) quickly by pulling the hammer while keeping the trigger depressed.

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.

The short, thick first digit of the human hand, differing from the other fingers in having but two phalanges; the pollex. See Pollex.

A small distance or degree, whether of time or space; hence, a critical moment; also used metaphorically of minor concessins in bargaining; as, he won't give an inch; give him an inch and he'll take a mile.

To handle awkwardly.

To drive by inches, or small degrees.

To play with the thumbs, or with the thumbs and fingers; as, to thumb over a tune.

To deal out by inches; to give sparingly.

To soil or wear with the thumb or the fingers; to soil, or wear out, by frequent handling; also, to cover with the thumb; as, to thumb the touch-hole of a cannon.

To advance or retire by inches or small degrees; to move slowly; as, to inch forward.

To play with the thumb or thumbs; to play clumsily; to thrum.

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

The thick short innermost digit of the forelimb

A unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot

The part of a glove that provides a covering for the thumb

A unit of measurement for advertising space

A convex molding having a cross section in the form of a quarter of a circle or of an ellipse

Advance slowly, as if by inches;

Travel by getting free rides from motorists

Represents a small margin in competitive contexts.

Look through a book or other written material;

Used in phrases like "inch forward."

Feel or handle with the fingers;

Used to signify approval or disapproval (thumbs up/down).

Part of idiomatic expressions, like "under one’s thumb."

Used in phrases like "rule of thumb."

To browse or flip through pages.

It’s a cultural gesture with ancient origins, signifying approval or agreement.

Yes, it's the first digit of the hand but has unique opposable features.

It's mainly used in countries that follow the imperial or U.S. customary systems.

Yes, as in "to thumb through a book."

It's an idiom meaning a general guideline, not a precise rule.

It’s an expression meaning clumsy or awkward in handling things.

An inch is 1/12 of a foot or approximately 2.54 centimeters.

Yes, many primates have opposable thumbs, crucial for gripping.

Historically, it was based on the width of a human thumb.

Yes, conditions like trigger thumb or arthritis can affect thumb mobility.

Yes, inches are often used to measure screen sizes and digital images.

They represent different measurement systems, but you can convert between them.

Yes, as in "to inch along," meaning to move slowly.

Yes, like all fingers, thumbs have unique fingerprints used for identification.

It's often used to describe narrow victories or small advantages.