chime

[ chahym ]

/ tʃaɪm /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: chime / chimed / chimes / chiming on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

Often chimes .

a set of bells or of slabs of metal, stone, wood, etc., producing musical tones when struck.
a musical instrument consisting of such a set, especially a glockenspiel.
the musical tones thus produced.
carillon.

harmonious sound in general; music; melody.

harmonious relation; accord: the battling duo, in chime at last.

verb (used without object), chimed, chim·ing.

to sound harmoniously or in chimes as a set of bells: The church bells chimed at noon.

to produce a musical sound by striking a bell, gong, etc.; ring chimes: The doorbell chimed.

to speak in cadence or singsong.

to harmonize; agree: The scenery chimed perfectly with the play's eerie mood.

verb (used with object), chimed, chim·ing.

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

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

to put, bring, indicate, announce, etc., by chiming: Bells chimed the hour.

to utter or repeat in cadence or singsong: The class chimed a greeting to the new teacher.

Verb Phrases

chime in,

to break suddenly and unwelcomely into a conversation, as to express agreement or voice an opinion.
to harmonize with, as in singing.
to be consistent or compatible; agree: The new building will not chime in with the surrounding architecture.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of chime

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

OTHER WORDS FROM chime

chimer, nounun·chim·ing, adjective

Other definitions for chime (2 of 2)

chime²

[ chahym ]

/ tʃaɪm /

noun

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

Also chimb, chine .

Origin of chime

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”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use chime in a sentence

The changes are mostly subtle, as in the case of the newly recorded startup chime.
macOS Big Sur is now available|Brian Heater|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch
The sound rang out against the chime of the machine, and it was as if we’d become one.
Fiction: Quiet earth philosophy|Katie McLean|October 21, 2020|MIT Technology Review
And the bells chimed for victory at 1211 Avenue of the Americas.
Why I’m for the War on Christmas|Asawin Suebsaeng|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Perry" chimed in: "They don't want to take blame," he said of the police union attacking De Blasio.
Justice League Vigil for Slain NYPD Officers Asks Whose Life Matters|Olivia Nuzzi|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Even Xi chimed in on the debate the other day by saying that the blue in ‘APEC blue’ should remain permanent.
Obama and Xi Jinping Say They’ll Work Together to Save Environment|Ben Leung|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Lorena Bobbitt has committed the ultimate revolutionary act of contemporary feminism,” chimed Camille Paglia.
Carol Shields’s Tale Of Secondhand Life|Nathaniel Rich|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her red-haired friend Svetlana chimed in, “Between two evils we choose Russia.”
Putin Has Predicted Civil War in Ukraine. So Do Many of Its People|Anna Nemtsova|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Suddenly the clock in the big hall below chimed two upon its peal of silvery bells.
The Doctor of Pimlico|William Le Queux
Out of doors was the Alpine glow, the evening bells chimed, the daughters of the sunbeams sang: "May the best thing happen!"
Rudy and Babette|Hans Christian Andersen
Miss S. chimed in with the Major; the neighborhood too seemed in the same tune.
Tristram of Blent|Anthony Hope
"Yes, yes," chimed in May enthusiastically, in reference to the man and not to the slang.
A Houseful of Girls|Sarah Tytler
"Oh, that's square," Marmot chimed in; and the others repeated the formula.
Colonial Born|G. Firth Scott

British Dictionary definitions for chime (1 of 2)

chime¹

/ (tʃaɪm) /

noun

an individual bell or the sound it makes when struck

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

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

a harmonious or ringing soundthe chimes of children's laughter

agreement; concord

verb

to sound (a bell) or (of a bell) to be sounded by a clapper or hammer
to produce (music or sounds) by chiming

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

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

(intr foll by with) to agree or harmonize

to speak or recite in a musical or rhythmic manner

Derived forms of chime

chimer, noun

Word Origin for chime

C13: probably shortened from earlier chymbe bell, ultimately from Latin cymbalum cymbal

British Dictionary definitions for chime (2 of 2)

chime²

chimb chine (tʃaɪn)

/ (tʃaɪm) /

noun

the projecting edge or rim of a cask or barrel

Word Origin for chime

Old English cimb-; related to Middle Low German kimme outer edge, Swedish kimb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

chime

Origin of chime

OTHER WORDS FROM chime

Other definitions for chime (2 of 2)

Origin of chime

Words related to chime

How to use chime in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for chime (1 of 2)

Derived forms of chime

Word Origin for chime

British Dictionary definitions for chime (2 of 2)

chimb chine (tʃaɪn)

Word Origin for chime