Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

You got no right to b itch, But someday you will fail, They will put you on sale Ande buy you by the *inch*

What does that mean?

Thanks

[bud]

The exact meaning depends on what came before, but the speaker is predicting ultimate failure for "you."

"To buy something by the unit" is to pay a certain amount for each unit. For example, you might buy gasoline for $2.40 per gallon. You buy it by the gallon. In your quote, it is being used metaphorically. It is a way to dramatize the effect; they won't only buy you, they will buy you one inch at a time (each inch of height).