tink
tink Lexical Profile
tink Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A short, sharp, high-pitched ringing or clinking sound, such as that made by striking metal or glass.
"She heard the faint tink of her spoon hitting the side of the porcelain teacup."
Scottish A tinker or itinerant traveller; also used more broadly as a derogatory term for an ill-mannered, coarse, or disreputable person.
"In older Scottish literature, the word tink frequently appears as a disparaging label for travelling craftspeople."
• verb
To make or cause to make a light, sharp, high-pitched ringing or clinking sound.
"Ice cubes tinked against the rim of the glass as the waiter set the water down."
Scottish To mend or patch metalware as a tinker does; to work at something in a makeshift or clumsy manner.
"The blacksmith spent the afternoon tinking old copper kettles in his workshop."
Word Nuance & Usage
In Scottish usage, the noun meaning 'tinker' or 'traveller' is often used as a derogatory ethnic or social slur and should be avoided.
• Rhymes for tink
Word Origin & Etymology
Attested in late Middle English, the sound sense is of imitative origin, closely related to the verb 'tinkle'. The Scottish noun sense is a shortened form of 'tinker'.