# clink

/ˈkɫɪŋk/ (US) · /klˈɪŋk/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clink
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

a prison or jail. You say it in casual talk when someone is locked up for a short time.

For teachers: a prison or short-term place of detention. Appears chiefly in the fixed phrase 'in the clink' meaning held in custody.

## Examples

- He spends one night in the clink for speeding.
- After the bar fight, the two men land in the clink until their court hearing.
- The memoir describes his brief stay in the clink, where the metallic echo of doors gave the slang term a painfully literal resonance.

## Synonyms

jail, prison, jailhouse, lockup

## Usage notes

- Typically used with the definite article in the phrase 'in the clink'.

---

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.