ENGLISH
REFERENCE

chime

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtʃaɪm// UK //tʃˈaɪm// chime

n. the clear, ringing sound that a bell makes. It can also be a set of bells or a musical instrument that makes these sounds.

n. a clear, resonant sound produced by a bell or a set of tuned metal tubes. Often refers to the melodic sequence played by a clock to mark the hour.


SIMPLE

The soft chime of the clock woke me up.

CONTEXTUAL

The wind caught the metal tubes on the porch, creating a gentle chime that echoed through the garden.

COMPLEX

As the cathedral bells began their midday chime, the vibrations were felt as much as heard by the tourists gathered in the square below.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English chime, chim, chimbe, chymbe, a shortening of chimbelle (misinterpreted as chymme-belle, chimbe-belle), from Old English ċimbala, ċimbal (“cymbal”), from Latin cymbalum.

Usage

Often used in the plural ('chimes') when referring to a musical instrument or a set of bells.

Idioms1 entry

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