Origin: 1595–1605; (n.) orig., opportunity, occasion, appar. var. of obs.
hent grasp, act of seizing, deriv. of the v.: to grasp, take, ME
henten, OE
hentan; (v.) deriv. of the n.
Related forms: hinter, noun
Synonyms:
1. allusion, insinuation, innuendo; memorandum, reminder; inkling. 5. imply. Hint, intimate, insinuate, suggest denote the conveying of an idea to the mind indirectly or without full or explicit statement. To hint is to convey an idea covertly or indirectly, but intelligibly: to hint that one would like a certain present; to hint that bits of gossip might be true. To intimate is to give a barely perceptible hint, often with the purpose of influencing action: to intimate that something may be possible. To insinuate is to hint artfully, often at what one would not dare to say directly: to insinuate something against someone's reputation. Suggest denotes particularly recalling something to the mind or starting a new train of thought by means of association of ideas: The name doesn't suggest anything to me.
Antonyms:
5. express, declare.
[hint] 