The structure uses the rhyming pair "half-inch" to stand for "pinch," following the typical Cockney pattern of replacing a word (pinch, meaning both to squeeze and to steal) with a phrase that rhymes with it. It is used in Cockney rhyming slang (London, UK) to mean to steal something. People typically say "Someone half-inched my wallet" or "He half-inched a biscuit from the jar." The term originated in early 20th century London East End rhyming slang culture, and remains a classic, well known example.

Визначення та значення слова «half-inch» англійською мовою

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