hinkyadj.
/ˈhɪŋki/, U.S. /ˈhɪŋki/ U.S. colloquial (originally in African-American usage and Police slang).
1. Chiefly Police slang. Nervous, uneasy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > nervousness or uneasiness > [adjective] > nervous
nervous1740
nerve-shaken1818
twitchety1859
nervy1873
trepidatious1904
all of a wonk1918
spooky1926
squirrelly1928
jittery1931
spooked1937
hinky1956
psyched1961
nattery1966
the mind > emotion > fear > nervousness or uneasiness > [adjective] > uneasy
fordrevedc1175
unquemea1400
fearful1535
anxious1548
qualming1576
uneasy1680
scrupulous1851
fidgeting1855
hinky1956
1956 ‘B. Holiday’ & W. Dufty Lady sings Blues xx. 181 If I started getting nervous or hinky, wondering, ‘What is this?’ he'd tell me to take it easy.
1957 San Francisco Chron. 27 Mar. 5/1 ‘Maybe he's hinky (nervous),’ said Inspector Coster. ‘Maybe,’ Maloney nodded his head, ‘let's just remember to keep quiet when they are making the deal.’
1987 D. F. Wallace Broom of Syst. 434 If you're going to get all hinkey about Lenore and not let me express feelings, you can at least let me scope a little bit.
2000 P. Cornwell Last Precinct (2001) 287 If the hairs turn out to be Chandonne's, then I'm gonna have to entertain the idea she let him stay out there, and that's why she got all hinky about it.
2. Suspect, questionable. Also: unreliable, not working properly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > [adjective] > specific modes of action or operation > faulty > of a mechanism
out of whack1906
onkus1941
hinky1961
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > lack of confidence, distrust, suspicion > [adjective] > arousing or deserving of suspicion
suspecta1300
of suspicion1340
suspect1340
suspicious1340
untrusted1552
suspectiousa1558
suspected1559
suspected to1571
mistrusted1592
mistrustful1593
suspectful1603
slight1607
suspicable1614
distrustful1618
suspicionable1692
jealoused1695
suspectable1748
untrustable1862
funny1903
sus1958
hinky1961
sussy1965
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > insecure knowledge, uncertainty > questionable state or quality > [adjective]
openlOE
doubtousc1330
uncertain1338
doubtyc1380
brigousa1387
doubtablec1400
doubtfula1425
questionable1443
batable1453
strivablec1456
inquirable1485
litigious1520
doubtsomea1522
disputable1548
dubious1548
doubted?1551
moot1563
problematical1567
discussiblea1578
debatable1581
controversial1583
disputativea1586
debateful1587
decidable1596
controversible1601
controvertible1601
controversal1604
controversable1607
problematic1609
controversary1610
left-handed1610
disputed1611
dubitable1625
quarrellable1642
catchinga1670
non liquet1678
brigose1679
contestable1702
equivocala1797
controversional1807
contradictable1856
discutable1868
hinky1961
1961 Flip Talk Dict. (at cited word) Hinky, not on the level.
1975 J. Wambaugh Choirboys vii. 93 ‘Driver of the pimpmobile looks hinky.’.. ‘Let's bring him down. Might have a warrant.’
1992 E. Goudge Such Devoted Sisters iii. 445 The dishwasher had to go hinky, flooding the kitchen floor.
2003 C. Whitehead Colossus of N.Y. 145 Compass needles spin wildly, act hinky when asked to draw a bead on true north.
2005 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 17 Apr. v. 16/5 Shaw..smells a rat: ‘Oil companies thus far have not reacted to the market... It's a little bit hinky.’
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1956