Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense tinkles, present participle tinkling, past tense, past participle tinkled
1. verb
If something tinkles, it makes a clear, high-pitched, ringing noise, especially as small parts of it strike a surface.
A fresh cascade of splintered glass tinkled to the floor. [VERB preposition/adverb]
We strolled past tinkling fountains and perfumed gardens. [VERB-ing]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: splash, babble, burble, purl More Synonyms of tinkle
Tinkle is also a noun.
...a tinkle of broken glass. [+ of]
2. verb
If a bell tinkles or if you tinkle it, it makes a quiet ringing noise as you shake it.
An old-fashioned bell tinkled as he pushed open the door. [VERB]
Miss Peel tinkled her desk bell and they all sat down again. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: ring, chime, jingle, ping More Synonyms of tinkle
Tinkle is also a noun.
...the tinkle of goat bells. [+ of]
More Synonyms of tinkle
tinkle in British English
(ˈtɪŋkəl)
verb
1.
to ring or cause to ring with a series of high tinny sounds, like a small bell
2. (transitive)
to announce or summon by such a ringing
3. (intransitive) British informal
to urinate
noun
4.
a high clear ringing sound
5.
the act of tinkling
6. British informal
a telephone call
Derived forms
tinkling (ˈtinkling)
adjective, noun
tinkly (ˈtinkly)
adjective
Word origin
C14: of imitative origin
tinkle in American English
(ˈtɪŋkəl)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈtinkled or ˈtinkling
1.
to make a series of small, short, light, ringing sounds like those of a very small bell
2. US, Informal
to urinate: child's term
verb transitive
3.
to cause to tinkle
4.
to indicate, signal, etc. by tinkling
noun
5.
the act or sound of tinkling
Idioms:
give someone a tinkle
Derived forms
tinkler (ˈtinkler)
noun
tinkly (ˈtinkly)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈtinklier or ˈtinkliest
Word origin
ME tynclen, freq. of tinken, to make a tinkling sound, of echoic orig.
Examples of 'tinkle' in a sentence
tinkle
When music is tinkling away in the background it makes it impossible to hear.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
And that piano does keep tinkling in the background.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The meditative bits have been airbrushed out and replaced by weird little fantasy scenes with tinkling songs and piano music.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
All very fancy, with a pianist tinkling away in the background.
The Sun (2007)
Heathrow's answer to this is a player piano tinkling merrily nearby.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The melodies lay prettily embedded in tinkling bells and other atmospheric effects, but there was little worth remembering beyond the composer's good intentions.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
1 (verb)
Definition
to ring with a high tinny sound like a small bell
The bell tinkled as the door opened.
Synonyms
ring
He heard the school bell ring.
chime
The station clock chimed three o'clock.
jingle
Her bracelets jingled like bells.
ping
ding
jangle
Her necklaces and bracelets jangled as she walked.
chink
peal
The church bells pealed at the stroke of midnight.
clink
2 (verb)
We strolled past tinkling fountains and perfumed gardens.
Synonyms
splash
waves splashing against the side of the boat
babble
a brook babbling only yards from the door
burble
purl
plash (literary)
1 (noun)
Definition
a high clear ringing sound
the icy tinkle of the bell as he entered
Synonyms
ring
There was a ring of the bell.
chime
the chime of the station clock
jingle
the jingle of money in a man's pocket
ping
ding
jangle
chink
peal
the great peals of the Abbey bells
clink
2 (noun)
the tinkle of a Japanese water garden
Synonyms
splash
I would sit alone and listen to the splash of water on the rocks.
babble
He couldn't make himself heard above the babble.
burble
purl
plash (literary)
3 (noun)
Definition
a telephone call
(British, informal)
I'll give you a tinkle around five.
Synonyms
call
I got a call from him late last night.
ring (British, informal)
We'll give him a ring as soon as we get back.
buzz (informal)
We'll give him a buzz when we get there.
bell (British, informal)
phone call
telephone call
Additional synonyms
in the sense of babble
Definition
(of streams) to make a low murmuring sound
a brook babbling only yards from the door
Synonyms
gurgle,
lap,
bubble,
splash,
murmur,
ripple,
burble,
purl,
plash
in the sense of babble
Definition
muddled or foolish speech
He couldn't make himself heard above the babble.
Synonyms
gabble,
chatter,
burble,
prattle,
blabber
in the sense of buzz
Definition
a telephone call
We'll give him a buzz when we get there.
Synonyms
ring,
call,
phone,
bell (informal),
tinkle (informal)
Nearby words of
tinkle
tinge
tingle
tinker
tinkle
tinny
tinpot
tinsel
Synonyms of 'tinkle'
tinkle
Explore 'tinkle' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of chime
Definition
(of a clock) to indicate (the time) by chiming
The station clock chimed three o'clock.
Synonyms
ring
in the sense of chime
Definition
the musical ringing sound made by a bell or clock
the chime of the station clock
Synonyms
sound,
boom,
toll,
jingle,
dong,
tinkle,
clang,
peal
in the sense of jangle
Definition
to make a harsh unpleasant ringing noise
Her necklaces and bracelets jangled as she walked.
Synonyms
rattle,
ring,
clash,
clatter,
chime,
ping,
vibrate,
jingle,
ding,
clank
in the sense of jingle
Definition
to make a light ringing sound
Her bracelets jingled like bells.
Synonyms
ring,
rattle,
clatter,
chime,
jangle,
tinkle,
clink,
clank,
tintinnabulate
in the sense of jingle
Definition
a light ringing sound
the jingle of money in a man's pocket
Synonyms
rattle,
ringing,
tinkle,
clang,
clink,
reverberation,
clangour
in the sense of peal
Definition
to sound with a peal or peals
The church bells pealed at the stroke of midnight.
Synonyms
ring,
sound,
toll,
resound,
chime,
resonate,
tintinnabulate
in the sense of peal
Definition
a long loud echoing sound, such as of bells or thunder