chink1
/tʃɪŋk
/noun
1A narrow opening, typically one that admits light: a chink in the curtains...
- He examines the snail trail of viscous fluid by the light from a chink in the curtains.
- Although no-one else had seen or heard him, in the cold light of day he felt ashamed that he had allowed a chink to appear in his brash and arrogant exterior.
- Has the god-given right been passed on to me to stand at my windows, with a small chink in the curtains, and spy on the exciting events going on in - Road, Ealing?
Synonyms
opening, gap, space, hole, aperture, break, breach, crack, fissure, crevice, cranny, cleft, cut, rift, split, slit, slot
1.1A beam or patch of light admitted by a narrow opening: I noticed a chink of light under the door...
- The chink of light which promised to herald something of a footballing renaissance in Carlow was cruelly extinguished by a surprisingly lively Laois in Dr. Cullen Park on Saturday.
- A chink of light was given to the fans when the RFL decided to wait until Tuesday, March 26, to see if anyone comes forward to take on the club before accepting the Wasps' resignation.
- A chink of light arrived when Adebola headed a consolation on his Turf Moor debut with just five minutes left, reacting first when Robbie Blake's cross cannoned off a Watford knee.
Phrases
a chink in someone's armour
Origin
Mid 16th century: related to chine2.
Rhymes
chink2
/tʃɪŋk/verb
Make or cause to make a light, high-pitched ringing sound, as of glasses or coins striking together: [no object]: the chain joining the handcuffs chinked [with object]: they chinked glasses and kissed...
- This week, when you're chinking your champagne glasses and raising a toast to the neighbours who've become good friends, just remember.
- Inside, the rich and famous would be chinking glasses of Champagne, and looking forward to yet another staggering gourmet experience on the move.
- We chatted like old friends - as indeed we are, having communed together many times on the Naked Blog Tagboard - and even chinked our cans together in a toast to Peter himself.
Synonyms
jingle, jangle, clink, tinkle, rattle, clank
noun
A high-pitched ringing sound: the chink of glasses...
- Through the eerie stillness I think I can hear people's laughter, the chink of crystal glasses and the crunch of boots on gravel as yet more well-heeled guests arrive.
- There were small scrabbling sounds, the chink of Michael's sword striking the stone, a grunt of effort.
- There was absolute silence as the strange ritual was done, the only sound the muffled chink of coins and the rustle of clothes as each recipient genuflected to the glittering Prince.
Origin
Late 16th century: imitative.
Chink3
/tʃɪŋk/noun informal, offensive
A Chinese person.
Origin
Late 19th century: irregular formation from China.
- not gate
- not give a bugger
- not give a shit
- not give a stuff
- not give a tinker's curse (or cuss or damn)
- not give (or care) a damn
- not give (or care) a fig
- not give (or care) a monkey's
- not give (or care) a rat's ass
- not give (or care) a whoop
- not give something houseroom
- not-go
- not go any further
- not guilty
- not half
- no thanks to
- not have a bar of
- not have a cat in hell's chance
- not have a leg to stand on
- not have a penny to bless oneself with
- not have a pot to piss in
- not have a prayer
- not have a shot in one's locker
- not have a —— bone in one's body
- not have the faintest