chime

¹ American  

[chahym] / tʃaɪm /

noun

1. an apparatus for striking a bell so as to produce a musical sound, as one at the front door of a house by which visitors announce their presence.

2. Often chimes

   1. a set of bells or of slabs of metal, stone, wood, etc., producing musical tones when struck.

   2. a musical instrument consisting of such a set, especially a glockenspiel.

   3. the musical tones thus produced.

   4. carillon.

3. harmonious sound in general; music; melody.

4. harmonious relation; accord.

   the battling duo, in chime at last.

---

verb (used without object)

chimed, chiming

1. to sound harmoniously or in chimes as a set of bells.

   The church bells chimed at noon.

2. to produce a musical sound by striking a bell, gong, etc.; ring chimes.

   The doorbell chimed.

3. to speak in cadence or singsong.

4. to harmonize; agree.

   The scenery chimed perfectly with the play's eerie mood.

verb (used with object)

chimed, chiming

1. to give forth (music, sound, etc.), as a bell or bells.

2. to strike (a bell, set of bells, etc.) so as to produce musical sound.

3. to put, bring, indicate, announce, etc., by chiming.

   Bells chimed the hour.

4. to utter or repeat in cadence or singsong.

   The class chimed a greeting to the new teacher.

verb phrase

1. chime in

   1. to break suddenly and unwelcomely into a conversation, as to express agreement or voice an opinion.

   2. to harmonize with, as in singing.

   3. to be consistent or compatible; agree.

      The new building will not chime in with the surrounding architecture.

chime ² American  

[chahym] / tʃaɪm /

Also chimb,

noun

1. the edge or brim of a cask, barrel, or the like, formed by the ends of the staves projecting beyond the head or bottom.

---

chime ¹ British  

/ tʃaɪm /

noun

1. an individual bell or the sound it makes when struck

2. (often plural) the machinery employed to sound a bell in this way

3. Also called: bell.  a percussion instrument consisting of a set of vertical metal tubes of graduated length, suspended in a frame and struck with a hammer

4. a harmonious or ringing sound

   the chimes of children's laughter

5. agreement; concord

---

verb

1. 1. to sound (a bell) or (of a bell) to be sounded by a clapper or hammer

   2. to produce (music or sounds) by chiming

2. (tr) to indicate or show (time or the hours) by chiming

3. (tr) to summon, announce, or welcome by ringing bells

4. to agree or harmonize

5. to speak or recite in a musical or rhythmic manner

chime ² British  

/ tʃaɪn, tʃaɪm /

noun

1. the projecting edge or rim of a cask or barrel

---

Other Word Forms

• chimer noun
• unchiming adjective

Etymology

Origin of chime¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chymbe belle “cymbal, chime,” literally, “chime bell,” by false analysis of chimbel, chimble, from Old English cimbal, cimbala, or from Old French chimbe, variant of cimbe, cimble cymbal

Origin of chime²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English chimb(e) “rim of a barrel”; compare Old English cimbing “joining, joint,” cim-stānas “bases of a pillar”; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch kimme “edge”

Example Sentences

The league is also expected to pass new rules that would give staff inside the NFL’s video command center in New York the authority to chime in with more penalty calls.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Finales can be tough, given how viewers chime in on social media.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Each spring, winder, chime and tool is a piece of Swiss perfection purchased by his father, Vasdev Singh, the first in the family to move from India to East Africa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

“It makes sense to chime in and provide the facts and clarifications.”

From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025

Then the second chime follows, the second archer sends his arrow into the yellow flames, and they become a clear sky-blue.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern