Forms: 4 klynk(e, 4–6 clynk(e, 6–7 clinck(e, clinke, 6– clink. [A weak vb. found, with the sb. of same form, only from 14th c. Du. has a strong vb. of identical form, klinken (MDu. klincken and klinghen) ‘to sound, clink, ring, tinkle,’ for which HG. has the str. klingen, OHG. chlingan, LG. klingen, EFris. klingen (klung, klungen) ‘to ring, sound,’ and klinken (klunk, klunken) ‘to clink glasses,’ WFris. klinckjen, klingjen. Also Sw. klinga str. (OSw. also klinga, klinka weak), Da. klinge str. ‘to sound, ring,’ klinke ‘to clink glasses.’ Thus there appears a double stem-form, kling-, klink-, evidently (like the Lat. and Gr. words cited under CLANG) of echoic origin; one of these forms was prob. a later modification (? perhaps expressing a variety of sound); the evidence appears to favor the priority of kling-. No trace of either form has yet been found in OE. (where there is a strong vb. clingan in an entirely different sense: see CLING v.), and thus we cannot tell whether ME. clinken went back with the Du. to an OLG. *klinkan, or was of later adoption or origination in England. Cf. the still later CLANK, and its correspondence with Du. klank. The sense-development is greatly parallel to that of clank; the transition from sound to sudden action is a common one, esp. in Sc.; cf. bang, boom, bum, chop, clank, clap, pop, etc.
(Rare by-forms are clenk, clinch, cling.)]
1. intr. To make the sharp abrupt metallic sound described under CLINK sb.1
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 336. They herde a belle clynke Biforn a cors was caried to his graue.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 82. Clynkyn, v. clyppyn [K. clynkyn, v. chymyn].
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. xiii. 67. Hys bos helm rang and soundit, Clynkand abowt hys hair heddis with dyn.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), III. 4. That metal clinketh well.
1684. H. More, Answer, 325. That old Proverb, As the fool thinketh, so the bell clinketh.
c. 1720. Prior, 2nd Hymn Callim. to Apollo, Poems (1754), 244. The sever’d bars Submissive clink against their brazen Portals.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., cxxi. Thou hear’st the village hammer clink.
1864. Skeat, trans. Uhland’s Poems, 360. Merrily clink the beakers tall.
b. intr. To ring as a report. Sc.
1825–76. Jamieson, s.v., ‘It gaed clinkin through the town.’
2. trans. To cause (anything) to sound in this way; to strike together (glasses or the like) so that they emit a sharp ringing sound.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Shipman’s Prol., 24. I shal clynkyn [v.r. blenken, klynken] yow so mery a belle That I shal wakyn al this companye.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, IX. lxv. (R.). Some howle, some weepe, some clinke their iron chaines.
1604. Shaks., Oth., II. iii. 71. And let me the Cannakin clinke, clinke.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 34, ¶ 13. Anthea saw some sheep, and heard the wether clink his bell.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 9. Some wags … clinked their glasses and rapped their sticks.
3. intr. Of words, etc.: To jingle together, to rhyme.
1729. Swift, Direct Birthday Song. Yet I must except, the Rhine, Because it clinks to Caroline.
a. 1764. Lloyd, On Rhyme, Wks. 1774, II. 110 (R.). How charmingly he makes them [couplets] clink.
1785. Burns, 2nd Epist. Davie, iv. For me, I’m on Parnassus’ brink Rivin’ the words to gar them clink.
b. trans. To make (words or verses) jingle.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 25. Ye see I clink my verse wi’ rhime.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. World, xl. They have done nothing but clink rhymes … for years together.
4. To clink it is said in Sc. of birds uttering their notes. (Cf. CLANK v. 2.)
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. Prol. 236. The merll, the mavys, and the nychtingale, With mery notis myrthfully furth brest, Enforsing thame quha mycht do clynk it best.
5. intr. To move with a clinking sound, made either by the feet or by articles carried or worn.
1818. Scott, Leg. Montr., iv. ‘Here’s the fourth man coming clinking in at the yett.’
a. 1863. Thackeray, Mr. & Mrs. Berry, ii. They clink over the asphalte … with lacquered boots.
7. Sc. Expressing quick, sharp, abrupt actions (such as produce a clinking sound; cf. CLAP v. IV.); e.g., Clink away, to snatch away; Clink down, to clap down, put down sharply; Clink on, to clap on; Clink up, to seize up rapidly.
Some of these may be compared with the corresponding use of CLANK v. 6, clink down being a sharper and less noisy act than clank down; but in most there seems to be an instinctive association with CLEEK, CLICK, CLITCH, to clink away, clink up, being to cleek away or up, with a sudden and deft action.
1718. Ramsay, Christ’s Kirk, III. xii. A creel bout fou of muckle steins They clinked on his back.
1791. A. Wilson, Eppie & Deil, Poet. Wks. 85. Clootie, shapet like a burd, Flew down … And clinket Eppie’s wheel awa’.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxxviii. ‘Ane of the clerks … will clink down, in black and white, as muckle as wad hang a man.’ Ibid., xl. ‘When she has clinkit hersell down that way … she winna speak a word.’
b. Also intr. (for refl.)
1785. Burns, Holy Fair, xi. Happy is that man … Wha’s ain dear lass … Comes clinkin down beside him!
1858. E. B. Ramsay, Remin., Ser. I. (1860), 92. Before the sale cam on, in God’s gude providence, she just clinkit aff.
1834. Wilson, Tales of Borders (1863), I. 156. Ye’ll just clink down beside me.
