clink

1 of 3

verb

clinked; clinking; clinks

intransitive verb

: to give out a slight sharp short metallic sound

transitive verb

: to cause to clink

clink

2 of 3

noun (1)

: a clinking sound

clink

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
slang : a prison cell
2
slang : jail, prison

Examples of clink in a Sentence

Verb When she'd completed the toast, they clinked glasses. coins clinking in his pocket as he traipsed down the street Noun (2) I once spent a night in the clink, and it's an experience I don't want to repeat
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Tears flooded Ye’s eyes as the group clinked glasses of champagne at 9:30 a.m. Quanta Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024 The rest of them clink their glasses and start sipping. Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2024 The glass can clink together and break in the bag without padded dividers. Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2024 The installation gave way to a cocktail party in the museum’s garden, where stemware clinked and diamonds worn by the likes of Hailee Steinfeld, K-Pop sensation Mina, and Gwyneth Paltrow glistened. Zachary Weiss, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clink 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, of imitative origin

Noun (2)

probably from Clink, a prison in Southwark, London, England

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1515, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clink was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near clink

Cite this Entry

“Clink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clink. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

clink

verb
ˈkliŋk
: to make or cause to make a slight sharp short sound like that of metal being struck
glasses clinked
clink noun

More from Merriam-Webster on clink

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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