Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To make light metallic sounds, as those of a small bell.
- intransitive verb Informal To urinate.
- intransitive verb To cause to tinkle.
- intransitive verb To signal or call by tinkling.
- noun A light, clear metallic sound or a sound suggestive of it.
- noun An act or instance of tinkling.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To tinker.
- noun A succession of small tinking or clinking sounds; a soft jingling noise.
- To make or give forth a succession of little clinking sounds; clink or tink repeatedly or continuously.
- To tingle.
- To cause to clink or tink; jingle; ring.
- To affect by tinking sounds; lead or draw by ringing or jingling.
- To cause to ring or resound.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A small, sharp, quick sound, as that made by striking metal.
- intransitive verb To make, or give forth, small, quick, sharp sounds, as a piece of metal does when struck; to clink.
- intransitive verb To hear, or resound with, a small, sharp sound.
- transitive verb To cause to clonk, or make small, sharp, quick sounds.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb intransitive To make light
metallic sounds, rather like a very smallbell . - verb intransitive, informal, juvenile To
urinate . - verb transitive To cause to tinkle.
- verb transitive To indicate, signal, etc. by tinkling.
- noun A light
metallic sound, resembling the tinkling of bells orwind chimes . - noun UK, informal A
telephone call .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb make or emit a high sound
- noun a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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_click, click_ of the balls and the _thrum, thrum, tinkle, tinkle_ of
Wandering Heath Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch 1903
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When she cleaned the clams, she heard the coin tinkle down the vent pipe.
CHAPTER XVII 2010
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Most of the time, a light tinkle is complimented nicely by “I Will Always Love You” blasting wildly through the speakers.
RETRO FEEL GOOD SONG OF THE DAY: Not Stopping Until You Get Enough-Ing | Best Week Ever 2007
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Perhaps the faint, occasional tinkle from the bells on the Tree Lovers brought the little lurking smile to her lips.
Rainbow Valley Lucy Maud 1919
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When she cleaned the clams, she heard the coin tinkle down the vent pipe.
Chapter 17 1913
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Sues's Big Al seemed more concerned with ringing a bell that he called his "tinkle" than announcing the day's sports action.
Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph Telegraph Staff 2011
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Recalling the tinkle of merry laughter, he was certain.
Trullion: Alastor 2262 Vance, Jack 1973
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They jingled with every step, and the only thing that marred the music of their tinkle was the anxiety lest some officer of the
Tell England A Study in a Generation Ernest Raymond 1931
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There was still many yards left, that could be paid out, when I heard my coin tinkle softly on the pavement.
The Splendid Spur Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch 1903
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Despite her troubles, the girl laughed, and Curtis recalled the tinkle of silver bells in a temple at evening on the banks of the far-away
One Wonderful Night A Romance of New York Louis Tracy 1895
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