chink

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See also Chink

Contents

English [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Etymology 1 [edit]

Of uncertain origin; apparently a re-formation of chine.

Noun [edit]

chink (plural chinks)

  1. A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
    • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4
      Yet I did not give way, but settled to wait for the dawn, which must, I knew, be now at hand; for then I thought enough light would come through the chinks of the tomb above to show me how to set to work.
    • Macaulay
      Through one cloudless chink, in a black, stormy sky, / Shines out the dewy morning star.
  2. A chip or dent (in something metallic).
  3. A vulnerability or flaw in a protection system or in any otherwise formidable system, idiomatically derived from the phrase "chink in armor".
    The warrior saw a chink in her enemy's armor, and aimed her spear accordingly.
    The chink in the theory is that the invaders have superior muskets.
    • 2011 January 30, Kevin Darlng, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Huddersfield”, BBC:
      The first chink in Arsenal's relaxed afternoon occurred when key midfielder Samir Nasri pulled up with a hamstring injury and was replaced.
  4. (slang) coin or ready cash (1565-75)
Translations [edit]
narrow opening
chip or dent in something metallic

Verb [edit]

chink (third-person singular simple present chinks, present participle chinking, simple past and past participle chinked)

  1. To fill an opening such as the space between logs in a log house with chinking; to caulk.
  2. To crack; to open.
Translations [edit]
to fill an opening

Etymology 2 [edit]

Onomatopoeic.

Noun [edit]

chink (plural chinks)

  1. A slight sound as of metal objects touching each other.
  2. (colloquial, now rare) Ready money, especially in the form of coins.
    • 1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of, Nebraska 1987, pp. 47-8:
      I thought that if all the hills about there were pure chink, and all belonged to me, I would give them if I could just talk to her when I wanted to [...].
Translations [edit]
slight sound
ready money, especially in the form of coins

Verb [edit]

chink (third-person singular simple present chinks, present participle chinking, simple past and past participle chinked)

  1. (intransitive) To make a slight sound like that of metal objects touching.
    The coins were chinking in his pocket.
  2. (transitive) To cause to make a sharp metallic sound, as coins, small pieces of metal, etc., by bringing them into collision with each other.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)
Translations [edit]
to make a slight sound like that of metal objects touching

Etymology 3 [edit]

Noun [edit]

chink (plural chinks)

  1. Alternative form of Chink.
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