chink - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Of uncertain origin, but apparently an extension, with diminutive -k (see more at -ock), of Middle English chine (or, if already suffixed in Middle English, *chinek), from Old English ċine (“a crack, chine, chink”), equivalent to chine +‎ -k.

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.

narrow opening

a narrow beam or patch of light coming through a gap

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.

Onomatopoeic.

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.
    • 1904, E[dith] Nesbit, New Treasure Seekers, London: Ernest Benn, →OCLC, page 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.

slight sound

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.

chink (plural chinks)

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

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

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

chink (plural chinks)

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Chink.