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tinkle

verb tin·kle \ ˈtiŋ-kəl \

Updated on: 2 May 2018

Definition of tinkle

tinkled; tinkling play \ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)liŋ\

intransitive verb

1 : to make or emit a tinkle or a sound suggestive of a tinkle

2 : urinate

transitive verb

1 : to sound or make known (the time) by a tinkle

2 a : to cause to make a tinkle

b : to produce by tinkling

tinkle a tune

See tinkle defined for English-language learners

See tinkle defined for kids

Examples of tinkle in a Sentence

The ice tinkled in the glass.
A piano was tinkling in the background.
He tinkled a small bell.

Recent Examples of tinkle from the Web

The only sound breaking through the hot afternoon air comes from a snorting pair of cows in the neighbor’s yard, and tinkling wind chimes hang over the porch.

— megan spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, "In Catemaco, Mexico's 'Land of the Sorcerers'," 29 Mar. 2018
Curlers rarely merit those up-close-and-personal Olympic bios accompanied by tinkling piano.

— author: karen heller, Anchorage Daily News, "Think you could be an Olympic curler? Don’t make these women laugh.," 31 Jan. 2018
The sound of a piano softly tinkles in the background, gradually building (strings are optional now) into a fermata.

— cmo today staff, WSJ, "CMO Today’s Cranky Holiday Wish List," 22 Dec. 2017
Keeningly mournful strings are deployed to underline the melancholic mood, plus sad, tinkling piano in the wake of particularly grim or tragic developments.

— neil young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Deminer': Film Review | IDFA 2017," 27 Nov. 2017
This late Camp cut lightly swirls tinkling xylophone with soft strings to juxtapose the complications of adult love and the pure simplicity of childhood crushes.

— zach dionne, Billboard, "Childish Gambino's 15 Best Songs: Critic's Picks," 11 Sep. 2017
The tragic Motley Crue song about a man who kills his lover is beautifully heartbreaking, from its tinkling piano melody to the glimmering guitar.

— christa titus, Billboard, "Motley Crue's 15 Best Songs: Critic's Picks," 31 July 2017
Bursts of tinkling metal madness somehow mesh with the overall darkness of the slow second movement.

— anthony tommasini, New York Times, "Review: NY Phil Biennial’s Ambitious Wrap-Up, From Boulez to Bolcom," 12 June 2016
Then on through the enfilade of the bishop’s handsome state rooms, and into his private sitting rooms where a pianist tinkled the ivories, and onto the broad tiled terrace that had never before been opened to the public.

— hamish bowles, Vogue, "Vogue’s Hamish Bowles on His Molto Alta Weekend in Palermo With Dolce & Gabbana," 11 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tinkle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of tinkle

Middle English, frequentative of tinken to tinkle, of imitative origin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

tinkle Synonyms

Synonyms

chink, clink, jingle, tingle;

Related Words

clang, clangor, clank, clash, crash;

clack, clatter, rattle;

chime, ding, ding-dong, gong, jangle, ping, plink, ring;

2

tinkle

noun

Definition of tinkle

1 : a series of short high ringing or clinking sounds

2 : a jingling effect in verse or prose

See tinkle defined for English-language learners

Examples of tinkle in a Sentence

the soothing tinkle of the wind chime on the back porch

Recent Examples of tinkle from the Web

The notes were few, as a large orchestra thinned to the tinkle of harp, mandolin and celesta littering soft, ethereal drones in the select strings and winds.

— mark swed, latimes.com, "Mahler's 'Song of the Earth' and sky and sea, the L.A. Phil way," 6 Apr. 2018
The music drones and burbles, tinkles and undulates, taking its time and lingering over instrumental stretches.

— New York Times, "15 Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in NYC This Weekend," 5 Apr. 2018
The tags tinkle in the wind and give the dog a permanent sparkle.

— mary forgione, latimes.com, "Yeah, there's a giant bunny in that vineyard — no foolin' — and 9 animals, vegetables and antlers you'll want to stop and see," 1 Apr. 2018
The music drones and burbles, tinkles and undulates, taking its time and lingering over instrumental stretches as if people are still willing to experience a whole album from start to finish.

— jon pareles, New York Times, "Music Is a Sanctuary From Chaos on Yo La Tengo’s ‘There’s a Riot Going On’," 14 Mar. 2018
From the tinkle, the researchers fished out 181 bacteria spanning the diversity of microbes in the bladder and sequenced their genomes.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Never-before-seen viruses that can kill bacteria stream from women’s bladders," 1 Feb. 2018
The backing track is a bass line going nowhere slowly, oozing to bind together twitches of electronic percussion and little tinkles and twangs that drift in and out.

— jon pareles, New York Times, "Pop Music in 2017: Glum and Glummer," 22 Dec. 2017
Only minutes by water from downtown Manhattan, Governors Island has an otherworldly air, a car-free oasis where the only sounds on the trails are lapping waves and the tinkle of bicycle bells.

— gina levay, Smithsonian, "How New York City Is Rediscovering Its Maritime Spirit," 29 May 2017
In every corner of the establishment — the florist shop, the main store and the outdoor nursery — the sound of trickling water mingled with the tinkle of wind chimes.

— janis mara, The Mercury News, "Japanese-American East Bay nursery closing ends saga started in 1905," 24 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tinkle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of tinkle

1725

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

tinkle Synonyms

Synonyms

chime(s), jingle, tintinnabulation;

Related Words

clatter, jangle, rattle;

chink, clang, clank, clink, ding-dong, ping, ring;

chirr, ripple, trill, warble;

TINKLE Defined for English Language Learners

tinkle

verb

Definition of tinkle for English Language Learners

: to make sounds like the sounds of a small bell
: to pass urine from the body

tinkle

noun

Definition of tinkle for English Language Learners

: the sound produced by a small bell or a similar sound
: a telephone call
: the act of passing urine from the body

TINKLE Defined for Kids

1

tinkle

verb tin·kle \ ˈtiŋ-kəl \

Definition of tinkle for Students

tinkled; tinkling

: to make or cause to make short high ringing or clinking sounds

2

tinkle

noun

Definition of tinkle for Students

: a short high ringing or clinking sound

Learn More about tinkle

See words that rhyme with tinkle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tinkle Spanish Central: Translation of tinkle Nglish: Translation of tinkle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tinkle for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up tinkle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

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WORD OF THE DAY

arrogate

play

to seize or ascribe

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Tinkertoy

tin-kettling

tinkle

tinkler

tinklingly

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Examples: tinkle in a Sentence