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chink - 13 dictionary results

chink

1  [chingk]
Use chink in a Sentence
–noun
1. a crack, cleft, or fissure: a chink in a wall.
2. a narrow opening: a chink between two buildings.
–verb (used with object)
3. to fill up chinks in.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME; perh. chine 1 + -k suffix (see -ock )

Synonyms:
1. breach, rent, cut.

chink

2  [chingk]
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1. to make, or cause to make, a short, sharp, ringing sound, as of coins or glasses striking together.
–noun
2. a chinking sound: the chink of ice in a glass.
3. Slang. coin or ready cash.
Origin:
1565–75; imit.

Chink

  [chingk]
–noun (sometimes lowercase) Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
a Chinese.
Origin:
1900–05; earlier Chinkie appar. alter. of China, Chinese by assoc. with chink 1 (from the stereotypical Western image of Chinese as narrow-eyed); see -ie
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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chink 1   (chĭngk)   
n.  A narrow opening, such as a crack or fissure.
tr.v.   chinked, chink·ing, chinks
  1. To make narrow openings in.
  2. To fill narrow openings in.

[Probably alteration of obsolete chine, from Middle English, crack, from Old English cine.]
chink'y adj.
chink 2   (chĭngk)   
n.  A slight, metallic sound, as of coins rattling in a pocket.
intr. & tr.v.   chinked, chink·ing, chinks
To make or cause to make a slight, metallic sound.

[Imitative.]
Chink   (chĭngk)   
n.   Offensive Slang
Used as a disparaging term for person of Chinese birth or descent.

[Probably alteration of Chinese.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Chink

Chink\, n. [OE. chine, AS. c[=i]ne fissure, chink, fr. c[=i]nan to gape; akin to Goth. Keinan to sprout, G. keimen. Cf. Chit.] A small cleft, rent, or fissure, of greater length than breadth; a gap or crack; as, the chinks of wall.

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

Chink

Chink\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Chinked; p. pr. & vb. n. Chinking.] To crack; to open.

Chink

Chink\, v. t. 1. To cause to open in cracks or fissures.

2. To fill up the chinks of; as, to chink a wall.

Chink

Chink\, n. [Of imitative origin. Cf. Jingle.]

1. A short, sharp sound, as of metal struck with a slight degree of violence. "Chink of bell." --Cowper.

2. Money; cash. [Cant] "To leave his chink to better hands." --Somerville.

Chink

Chink\, v. t. To cause to make a sharp metallic sound, as coins, small pieces of metal, etc., by bringing them into collision with each other. --Pope.

Chink

Chink\, v. i. To make a slight, sharp, metallic sound, as by the collision of little pieces of money, or other small sonorous bodies. --Arbuthnot.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : chink
Spanish: resquicio, grieta,
German: der Spalt,
Japanese: すき間
More Translations »

chink 
"slit," 1535, from M.E. chine (with parasitic -k) from O.E. cinu "fissure," related to cinan "to crack, split, gape," from PIE base *gei-, *gi- "to germinate, bloom," connection being in the notion of bursting open. The unrelated derogatory slang word for "a Chinaman" first recorded 1901.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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