51Թ

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chink

1

[ chingk ]

noun

  1. a crack, cleft, or fissure:

    a chink in a wall.

    Synonyms: , ,

  2. a narrow opening:

    a chink between two buildings.



verb (used with object)

  1. to fill up chinks in.

chink

2

[ chingk ]

verb (used with or without object)

  1. to make, or cause to make, a short, sharp, ringing sound, as of coins or glasses striking together.

noun

  1. a chinking sound:

    the chink of ice in a glass.

  2. Slang. coin or ready cash.

Chink

3

[ chingk ]

noun

(sometimes lowercase)
  1. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Chinese person.

Chink

1

/ ˈʃɪŋɪ; ʃɪŋ /

noun

  1. an old-fashioned and highly derogatory term for Chinese
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

chink

2

/ ʃɪŋ /

noun

  1. a small narrow opening, such as a fissure or crack
  2. chink in one's armour
    a small but fatal weakness
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to fill up or make cracks in
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

chink

3

/ ʃɪŋ /

verb

  1. to make or cause to make a light ringing sound, as by the striking of glasses or coins
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. such a sound
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈ󾱲԰, adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of chink1

1350–1400; Middle English; perhaps chine 1 + -k suffix ( -ock )

Origin of chink2

First recorded in 1565–75; imitative

Origin of chink3

1900–05; earlier Chinkie apparently alteration of China, Chinese by association with chink 1 (from the stereotypical Western image of Chinese as narrow-eyed); -ie
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of chink1

C20: probably from Chinese, influenced by chink 1(referring to the characteristic shape of the Chinese eye)

Origin of chink2

C16: perhaps variant of earlier chine, from Old English cine crack; related to Middle Dutch kene, Danish kin

Origin of chink3

C16: of imitative origin
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

McLaren's one chink of light in the race was the pit stops.

From

“It’s a chink out of our system of government to villainize law firms like this.”

From

So, I feel it is important to get the message out that there are chinks in the armor of the submission and peer-review process.

From

But we can see the increasing chinks in Benji’s armor with each passing setback.

From

The showbiz anecdotes in the documentary provide chinks of light in an otherwise tragic story about a man who lost his career in an instant.

From

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