chink

¹

[chingk]

noun

1. a crack, cleft, or fissure.

   a chink in a wall.

   Synonyms: cut, rent, breach

2. a narrow opening.

   a chink between two buildings.

verb (used with object)

1. to fill up chinks in.

chink

²

[chingk]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make, or cause to make, a short, sharp, ringing sound, as of coins or glasses striking together.

noun

1. a chinking sound.

   the chink of ice in a glass.

2. Slang.,  coin or ready cash.

Chink

³

[chingk]

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Chinese person.

chink

¹

/ tʃɪŋk /

noun

1. a small narrow opening, such as a fissure or crack

2. a small but fatal weakness

verb

1. (tr) to fill up or make cracks in

chink

²

/ tʃɪŋk /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a light ringing sound, as by the striking of glasses or coins

noun

1. such a sound

Chink

³

/ ˈtʃɪŋkɪ, tʃɪŋk /

noun

1. an old-fashioned and highly derogatory term for Chinese

Other Word Forms

• chinky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chink¹

1350–1400; Middle English; perhaps chine ¹ + -k suffix ( -ock )

Origin of chink²

First recorded in 1565–75; imitative

Origin of chink³

1900–05; earlier Chinkie apparently alteration of China, Chinese by association with chink ¹ (from the stereotypical Western image of Chinese as narrow-eyed); -ie

Word History and Origins

Origin of chink¹

C16: perhaps variant of earlier chine, from Old English cine crack; related to Middle Dutch kene, Danish kin

Origin of chink²

C16: of imitative origin

Origin of chink³

C20: probably from Chinese, influenced by _chink ¹ (referring to the characteristic shape of the Chinese eye)

Example Sentences

It was a night in which teams in the powerful Trinity League showed a chink in their armor.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But if you looked more closely, there were chinks in the armour.

Read more on BBC

McLaren's one chink of light in the race was the pit stops.

Read more on BBC

“It’s a chink out of our system of government to villainize law firms like this.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

So, I feel it is important to get the message out that there are chinks in the armor of the submission and peer-review process.

Read more on Science Magazine

Related Words

• crevice 
• fissure