Wiktionary

chink

See also: Chink

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Of uncertain origin, but apparently an extension (with diminutive -k) of Middle English chine, from Old English ċine (“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

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chink (plural chinks)

  1. A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
    1. A narrow beam or patch of light admitted by such an opening.
      I noticed a chink of light under the door.
      • 2023 March 22, Mel Holley, “Network News: RMT to ballot Network Rail members on improved offer”, in RAIL, number 979, page 12:
        A chink of light offering a possible settlement to one part of the rail dispute comes as the RMT is to ballot its members at Network Rail on whether to accept an improved offer.
  2. A chip or dent in something metallic.
    The warrior saw a chink in her enemy's armor, and aimed her spear accordingly.
  3. (figuratively) A vulnerability or flaw in a protection system or in any otherwise formidable system.
    The chink in the theory is that the invaders have superior muskets.
    • 2011 January 30, Kevin Darling, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Huddersfield”, in BBC‎[1]:
      The first chink in Arsenal's relaxed afternoon occurred when key midfielder Samir Nasri pulled up with a hamstring injury and was replaced.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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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.
    to chink a wall
  2. (intransitive) To crack; to open.
  3. (transitive) To cause to open in cracks or fissures.
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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Onomatopoeic.

Noun

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chink (countable and uncountable, plural chinks)

  1. (countable) A slight sound as of metal objects touching each other; a clink.
    • 2020, Abi Daré, The Girl With The Louding Voice, Sceptre, page 138:
      She swallow, set the cup down like she want to break it, and the ice-blocks jump, make a chink sound.
  2. (uncountable, colloquial, dated, now rare) Ready money, especially in the form of coins.
    • 1727, William Somerville, Occasional Poems, "The Fortune-Hunter":
      to leave his chink to better hands
    • 1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of, Nebraska, published 1987, pages 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.
    • 1894, Francis James Child (from Thomas Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry), “267, The Drunkard's Legacy (The Heir of Linne)”, in The English and Scottish popular Ballads, volume V:
      Now by [the] third part you will hear
      This young man, as it does appear,
      With care he then secur'd his chink,
      And to this vintner went to drink.
    • 1904, Edith Nesbit, The New Treasure Seekers, Chapter 2:
      "I believe I could make a pudding that wasn't plain, if I tried," Alice said. "Why shouldn't we?"
      "No chink," said Oswald, with brief sadness.
      "How much would it cost?" Noël asked, and added that Dora had twopence and H.O. had a French halfpenny.
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Translations
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Verb

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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.
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Etymology 3

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Noun

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chink (plural chinks)

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

Verb

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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

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Noun

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chink (plural chinks)

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Chink

Anagrams

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