chink

[ chingk ]

/ tʃɪŋk /

noun

a crack, cleft, or fissure: a chink in a wall.

a narrow opening: a chink between two buildings.

verb (used with object)

to fill up chinks in.

Words nearby chink

chingtao, chingtechen, chinhuangtao, chinic acid, chinju, chink, chink in one's armor, chinkapin, chinkiang, chinless, chinless wonder

Origin of chink

1350–1400; Middle English; perhaps chine¹ + -k suffix (see -ock)

SYNONYMS FOR chink

1 breach, rent, cut.

Definition for chinking (2 of 2)

chink²

[ chingk ]

/ tʃɪŋk /

verb (used with or without object)

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

noun

a chinking sound: the chink of ice in a glass.

Slang. coin or ready cash.

Origin of chink

First recorded in 1565–75; imitative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for chinking

This chinking is more pronounced and better done in the northern part of the region than in the south.
Aboriginal Remains in Verde Valley, Arizona|Cosmos Mindeleff
The interview was short and decisive, and accompanied by much gesticulation, terminating in a chinking of coin as the man left.
Lady Maude's Mania|George Manville Fenn
The engine began to make a chinking sound, and the car lost pace.
Mr. Britling Sees It Through|H. G. Wells
It was a little log meeting-house that they were putting up, and your father and I lent a hand with the chinking.
The War-Trail Fort|James Willard Schultz

There were also masses of indurated clay, which seem to have been used for chinking purposes.
Illustrated Catalogue of a Portion of the Collections Made|William H. Holmes

British Dictionary definitions for chinking (1 of 3)

chink¹

/ (tʃɪŋk) /

noun

a small narrow opening, such as a fissure or crack

chink in one's armour a small but fatal weakness

verb

(tr) mainly US and Canadian to fill up or make cracks in

Derived forms of chink

chinky, adjective

Word Origin for chink

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

British Dictionary definitions for chinking (2 of 3)

chink²

/ (tʃɪŋk) /

verb

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

noun

such a sound

Word Origin for chink

C16: of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for chinking (3 of 3)

Chink

taboo Chinky (ˈtʃɪŋkɪ)

/ (tʃɪŋk) /

noun, adjective plural Chinks or Chinkies

an old-fashioned and highly derogatory term for Chinese

Word Origin for Chink

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

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