link

¹

[ lingk ]

noun

1. one of the rings or separate pieces of which a chain is composed.
2. anything serving to connect one part or thing with another; a bond or tie:

   The locket was a link with the past.

   Synonyms: connective, connection

3. a unit in a communications system, as a radio relay station or a television booster station.
4. any of a series of sausages in a chain.
5. a cuff link.
6. a ring, loop, or the like:

   a link of hair.

7. Also called hyperlink. Digital Technology.
   1. an object, as text or graphics, linked through hypertext to a document, another object, etc.:

      Click on the link below to read the full article.

   2. the connection between elements linked by hypertext, or the code or tag content required to make such a connection:

      The website was full of broken links, typos, and images that failed to load.

8. Surveying, Civil Engineering.
   1. (in a surveyor's chain) a unit of length equal to 7.92 inches (20.12 centimeters).
   2. one of 100 rods or loops of equal length forming a surveyor's or engineer's chain.
9. Chemistry. bond ¹( def 15 ).
10. Machinery. a rigid, movable piece or rod, connected with other parts by means of pivots or the like, for the purpose of transmitting motion.

    Synonyms: pin, tie, bind, fasten, conjoin, league, bond

verb (used with or without object)

1. to join by or as if by a link or links; connect; unite (often followed by up ):

   The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.

   The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.

2. Digital Technology. to create digital connections between web pages or between elements on web pages using hypertext, or to have such links on or to a web page or electronic document:

   The page is linked to my online store.

   The essay links to three of my published articles.

link

²

[ lingk ]

noun

1. a torch, especially of tow and pitch.

link

¹

/ lɪŋk /

noun

1. any of the separate rings, loops, or pieces that connect or make up a chain
2. something that resembles such a ring, loop, or piece
3. a road, rail, air, or sea connection, as between two main routes
4. a connecting part or episode
5. a connecting piece in a mechanism, often having pivoted ends
6. Also calledradio link a system of transmitters and receivers that connect two locations by means of radio and television signals
7. a unit of length equal to one hundredth of a chain. 1 link of a Gunter's chain is equal to 7.92 inches, and of an engineer's chain to 1 foot
8. See hyperlink
   computing short for hyperlink
9. weak link
   weak link an unreliable person or thing within an organization or system

verb

1. often foll by up to connect or be connected with or as if with links
2. tr to connect by association, etc

link

²

/ lɪŋk /

noun

1. (formerly) a torch used to light dark streets

link

/ lĭngk /

1. A segment of text or a graphical item that serves as a cross-reference between parts of a webpage or other hypertext documents or between webpages or other hypertext documents.

Derived Forms

• ˈlinkable, adjective

Other Words From

• link·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of link¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English link(e), of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Swedish lænker “chain”; cognate with Old Norse hlekkr “link” (plural, “chain”), from hlenkr (unattested); related to Old English hlence “coat of chain mail,” akin to German Gelenk “joint, link”

Origin of link²

First recorded in 1520–30; perhaps special use of link ¹; the torches so called may have been made of strands twisted together in chainlike form

Word History and Origins

Origin of link¹

C14: from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse hlekkr link

Origin of link²

C16: perhaps from Latin lychnus, from Greek lukhnos lamp

Synonym Study

See bond ¹.

Example Sentences

Here’s the link to Charlotte’s thread and again I urge you to read it please.

From Washington Blade

For this reason, E-A-T shouldn’t be your priority ahead of traditional SEO tasks like link building and technical optimization.

From Search Engine Watch

For quicker access to websites that you visit all the time, you can set up links to them right from the home screen.

From Popular-Science

One user included a link to Turning Point USA’s website in his Twitter profile until The Washington Post began asking questions about the activity.

From Washington Post

Seeing how they already link to other websites in your niche, they are very likely to host your links as well.

From Search Engine Land

That article noted that the F-35 does not currently have the ability to down-link live video to ground troops,.

From The Daily Beast

Therefore, it is not possible for any F-35 schedule to include a video data link  or infrared pointer at this point.

From The Daily Beast

Authorities blame anarchists protesting a proposed high-speed rail line called TAV that will link Turin and Lyon, France.

From The Daily Beast

The whys the wherefores, I think a lot of that is somehow a link from decoding texts, as they say in graduate school.

From The Daily Beast

Tickets go on sale to the public January 15; check back then for a link and an early peek at the inspiring lineup of speakers.

From The Daily Beast

The equilibrium valve is unchanged, except that the rack is taken out and a link put in.

From Project Gutenberg

The rope from his middle, a bottle of sack from his bosom, and a link of hog's puddings, pulled out of his left sleeve.

From Project Gutenberg

I had been selfish enough to ask that she link herself to my narrow life, and she had looked at me clear in the eye.

From Project Gutenberg

The language of the Akka is of a very undeveloped type, and seems a link between articulate and inarticulate speech.

From Project Gutenberg

Their Confirmation vows seemed to make a link, and Meta's unfeigned enthusiasm for the doctor was the sure road to Ethel's heart.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• associate
• attach
• bind
• combine
• hook up
• identify
• join
• relate
• tie
• unite