clink1
/klɪŋk
/noun
A sharp ringing sound, such as that made by striking metal or glass: the clink of ice in tall glasses...
- A few coughs and clinks of glass echoed awkwardly throughout the room.
- Undoubtedly, to the steady clink of glass and ice, the word will pass: he's sound; he's one of us; he's a safe pair of hands.
- Many clicks and clinks came from the door, and then a grinding noise as it opened on old stone hinges.
verb
1Make or cause to make a clink: [no object]: his ring clinked against the crystal [with object]: I heard Suzie clink a piece of crockery (as adjective clinking) clinking chains...
- Above the faint rumble of the air conditioning, their cutlery clinks and clanks, the sound of a knight in full armour.
- I invested in a snazzy pin-on mic to counter the ambient sound of chattering and clinking china.
- I went miserably to the living room, flicking blindly through a book as I listened to the sound of running water and clinking china.
1.1 [with object] Strike (one’s glass) against another’s to express friendly feelings before drinking: she clinked her glass against mine...
- Alex returns with a bottle of wine and 2 glasses, he fills then to the brim and clinks glasses with you.
- He taps her glass with a ringing clink and starts to drink the champagne, savoring the taste.
- She held the beer up like she was going to clink it to mine, but we only had one beer so I put up my fist and she clanked the beer to my fist.
Origin
Middle English (as a verb): probably from Middle Dutch klinken.
Rhymes
clink2
/klɪŋk/noun [in singular] informal
Prison: some bloke he’d met in clink...
- At the very least, Noah should spend a little time in clink.
- Griffin offers this advice to other young people who find themselves in the clink: Keep your inmate number to yourself.
- File swappers face three years in jail for the first offence, and six more years in the clink for repeat offences, thus making criminals out of a large section of the US population.
Origin
Early 16th century (originally denoting a prison in Southwark, London): of unknown origin.