ink

American  

[ingk] / ɪŋk /

noun

1. a fluid or viscous substance used for writing or printing.

2. a dark, protective fluid ejected by the cuttlefish and other cephalopods.

3. Slang. a tattoo or tattoos.

   Oh, nice, you got new ink!

4. Informal. publicity, especially in print media.

   Their construction plans got some ink in the local paper.

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verb (used with object)

1. to mark, stain, cover, or smear with ink.

   to ink one's clothes.

2. Informal. to sign one's name to (an official document).

   We expect to ink the contract tomorrow.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Slang. to mark (the skin) with tattoos.

   The team agreed that they would all get inked if they brought home the championship this year.

ink British  

/ ɪŋk /

noun

1. a fluid or paste used for printing, writing, and drawing

2. a dark brown fluid ejected into the water for self-concealment by an octopus or related mollusc from a gland ( ink sac ) near the anus

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verb

1. to mark with ink

2. to coat (a printing surface) with ink

ink Scientific  

/ ĭngk /

1. A dark liquid ejected for protection by most cephalopods, including the octopus and squid. Ink consists of highly concentrated melanin.

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Other Word Forms

• inker noun
• inkless adjective
• inklike adjective
• reink verb (used with object)
• uninked adjective

Etymology

Origin of ink

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English inke, inc, enke, from Old French enca, enque, ancre, from Late Latin encautum, variant of encaustum “burnt in, painted in,” from Greek énkauston “purple ink (used for imperial signatures),” noun use of neuter of énkaustos “burnt in”; encaustic

Example Sentences

In early September, Coale returned to Minsk to ink the deal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rupert's been described to me, at 94, as still "the sharpest person in the room" and a "phenomenon who loves papers and has ink in his veins".

From BBC

The transparent holders allowed me to see the ink disappear, which made me oddly eager to keep using the gel pens.

From The Wall Street Journal

Never mind that taking that much ink to say “guilty” sounds like a campaign, not a verdict.

From The Wall Street Journal

A loose 1878 crayon and ink-wash study for an illustration for Émile Zola’s “L’Assommoir” becomes a firmer, more detailed pen, ink and chalk version, made even more solid in the final reproduction.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• impression
• imprint
• line
• point
• record
• scar
• score
• signature
• spot
• stain
• stamp
• streak
• symbol