English

Alternative forms

• chink

Noun

Chink ‎(plural Chinks)

1. (slang, offensive, ethnic slur) Refers to a Chinese or a person of Chinese ethnicity.
   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 51

     Then her eyes, always alert for the affairs of her kitchen, fell on some action of the Chinese cook which aroused her violent disapproval. She turned on him with a torrent of abuse. The Chink was not backward to defend himself, and a very lively quarrel ensued.

   • 1920, George Herriman, Krazy Kat comic strip, October 17:

     [Ignatz Mouse:] A new Chink in town, and acting mighty queer too – I suspect foul play.

Synonyms

• (Chinese person (offensive)): Chinaman, gook

Derived terms

• chinky

Translations

English

Noun

chink ‎(plural chinks)

1. A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4

     Yet I did not give way, but settled to wait for the dawn, which must, I knew, be now at hand; for then I thought enough light would come through the chinks of the tomb above to show me how to set to work.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Macaulay

     Through one cloudless chink, in a black, stormy sky, / Shines out the dewy morning star.

2. A chip or dent (in something metallic).
3. (figuratively) A vulnerability or flaw in a protection system or in any otherwise formidable system.
   • The warrior saw a chink in her enemy's armor, and aimed her spear accordingly.
   • The chink in the theory is that the invaders have superior muskets.
   • 2011 January 30, Kevin Darling, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Huddersfield”, in BBC:

     The first chink in Arsenal's relaxed afternoon occurred when key midfielder Samir Nasri pulled up with a hamstring injury and was replaced.

Translations

Verb

chink ‎(third-person singular simple present chinks, present participle chinking, simple past and past participle chinked)

1. (transitive) To fill an opening such as the space between logs in a log house with chinking; to caulk.

   to chink a wall

2. (intransitive) To crack; to open.
3. (transitive) To cause to open in cracks or fissures.

Translations

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Noun

chink ‎(plural chinks)

1. A slight sound as of metal objects touching each other.
2. (colloquial, now rare) Ready money, especially in the form of coins.
   • 1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of, Nebraska 1987, pp. 47-8:

     I thought that if all the hills about there were pure chink, and all belonged to me, I would give them if I could just talk to her when I wanted to […]

   • Somerville

     to leave his chink to better hands

Translations

Verb

chink ‎(third-person singular simple present chinks, present participle chinking, simple past and past participle chinked)

1. (intransitive) To make a slight sound like that of metal objects touching.

   The coins were chinking in his pocket.

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.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)

Translations

Etymology 3

Noun

chink ‎(plural chinks)

1. Alternative form of Chink