# chin

/ˈtʃɪn/ (US) · /tʃˈɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chin
Updated: 2026-07-09

## Senses

### 1. part of the face

noun · CEFR A1

the part of your face that is below your mouth.

For teachers: the protruding part of the face below the mouth, formed by the apex of the lower jaw.

- He rubbed his chin while he thought about the difficult question.
- The protagonist was described as having a strong, square chin that gave him an air of stubborn determination.

### 2. ability to take a punch

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

the ability of a boxer or fighter to take a hard hit to the face without falling down.

For teachers: the capacity of a combatant to withstand a blow to the jaw without being knocked unconscious. Uncountable in this sense.

- The young fighter has a great chin and never seems to get hurt.
- Despite his declining speed, the veteran heavyweight relied on his legendary chin to survive the early rounds of the championship bout.

### 3. to do a pull-up

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to pull your body up until your chin is over a bar for exercise.

For teachers: to perform a chin-up by pulling oneself upward while hanging from a horizontal bar until the chin clears the bar.

- He can chin himself twenty times in a row without stopping.
- The recruits were required to chin themselves at least ten times as part of the initial physical fitness assessment.

### 4. to hit someone

verb · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang

to punch someone hard, usually on the jaw.

For teachers: to strike a person, specifically on the chin or jaw. Transitive use.

- The argument got so heated that one man tried to chin the other.
- He was lucky not to get chinned after making such an inflammatory comment in a crowded pub.

### 5. to point with the face

verb · CEFR B2

to show where something is by moving your chin toward it.

For teachers: to indicate a direction or person by gesturing with the chin rather than the hands.

- She didn't say a word, she just chinned toward the door to tell him to leave.
- The witness chinned toward the back of the room, silently identifying the suspect without lifting a finger.

## Examples

- He rubbed his chin while he thought about the question.
- The strap of the helmet should fit snugly under your chin to keep it secure while you ride.
- The portrait captures the subject in a moment of deep reflection, with one hand resting lightly against a prominent, square-set chin that suggests a determined character.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.