different between chink vs tinkle

English

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /t???k/
• Rhymes: -??k

Etymology 1

Of uncertain origin; but apparently an extension (with formative -k) of Middle English chine, from Old English ?ine (“a crack, chine, chink”), equivalent to chine +? -k.

Alternatively, the -k may represent an earlier unrecorded diminutive, perhaps from Middle English *chinek, making it equivalent to chine +? -ock (diminutive ending).

Noun

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.

   • 1842 Thomas Babington Macaulay, Lays of Ancient Rome

     Through one cloudless chink, in a black, stormy sky, / Shines out the dewy morning star.

2. A chip or dent in something metallic.

3. (figuratively) A vulnerability or flaw in a protection system or in any otherwise formidable system.

Translations

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To fill an opening such as the space between logs in a log house with chinking; to caulk.

2. (intransitive) To crack; to open.
3. (transitive) To cause to open in cracks or fissures.

Translations

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Noun

chink (plural chinks)

1. A slight sound as of metal objects touching each other; a clink.
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 […]

   • 1855, Henry Augustus Wise, Tales for the Marines (page 121)

     At the same time, mind, I must have a bit of a frolic occasionally, for that's all the pleasure I has, when I gets a little chink in my becket; and ye know, too, that I don t care much for that stuff, for a dollar goes with me as fur as a gold ounce does with you, when ye put on your grand airs, and shower it about like a nabob.

Translations

Verb

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.

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.

   • He chinks his purse

Translations

Etymology 3

Noun

chink (plural chinks)

1. Alternative form of kink (“gasp for breath”)

Verb

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

1. Alternative form of kink (“gasp for breath”)

Etymology 4

Noun

chink (plural chinks)

1. Alternative letter-case form of Chink

Anagrams

• Hinck, Kinch

English

Etymology

From Middle English tinclen, equivalent to tink +? -le (frequentative suffix).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?t??k?l/
• Rhymes: -??k?l

Verb

tinkle (third-person singular simple present tinkles, present participle tinkling, simple past and past participle tinkled)

1. (intransitive) To make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell.
   • 1753, Robert Dodsley, Agriculture

     The sprightly horse / Moves to the music of his tinkling bells.

2. (transitive) To cause to tinkle.
3. (transitive) To indicate, signal, etc. by tinkling.

4. To hear, or resound with, a small, sharp sound.

   • And his ears tinkled, and the colour fled.

5. (intransitive, informal) To urinate.

Synonyms

• (urinate): See Thesaurus:urinate

Derived terms

• atinkle
• tinkle-down
• tinkle the ivories

Translations

Noun

tinkle (plural tinkles)

1. A light metallic sound, resembling the tinkling of bells or wind chimes.
2. (Britain, informal) A telephone call.

   Synonyms: call, ring

3. (informal, euphemistic) An act of urination.

Translations