chink

Meaning

Noun

1. A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
2. A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
3. A chip or dent in something metallic.
4. (figuratively) A vulnerability or flaw in a protection system or in any otherwise formidable system.

Verb

1. (transitive) To fill an opening such as the space between logs in a log house with chinking; to caulk.
2. (intransitive) To crack; to open.
3. (transitive) To cause to open in cracks or fissures.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To make a slight sound like that of metal objects touching.
2. (transitive) To cause to make a sharp metallic sound, as coins, small pieces of metal, etc., by bringing them into collision with each other.

Verb

Alternative form of kink (“gasp for breath”).

Synonyms

crack

fissure

clink

gap

hole

🕳️

slit

tinkle

split

crevice

clang

clank

click

interstice

rift

slot

tink

cleft

rent

jingle

chap

check

aperture

cranny

ting

bore

Chinaman

opening

fracture

ping

rattle

peal

pore

ringing

rupture

rustle

rut

snap

space

stop up

tick

vista

well

whistle

window

🪟

Chink

clickety-clack

space character

slant-eye

click-clack

clinking sound

Translations

fessura

Spalt

grieta

rendija

fente

Spalte

çatlak

yarık

klirren

crepa

tinntinnare

tinter

Ritze

Pronounced as (IPA)

/t͡ʃɪŋk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: chine

Inherited from Old English: ċine

Inherited from Middle English: *chinek

In summary

Of uncertain origin, but apparently an extension (with diminutive -k) of Middle English chine, from Old English ċine (“a crack, chine, chink”), equivalent to chine + -k.
Alternatively, the -k may represent an earlier unrecorded diminutive, perhaps from Middle English *chinek, making it equivalent to chine + -ock (diminutive ending).