ding

n. countable

B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɪŋ// UK //dˈɪŋ// ding

Archaic Informal Vulgar

n. a small dent or scratch on a surface, like on a car door. It is also the ringing sound a bell makes.

n. a minor surface indentation or scratch, typically on a vehicle; also refers to a sharp, clear ringing sound. Informal in its physical sense.

SIMPLE

There is a small ding on my car door.

CONTEXTUAL

I noticed a tiny ding on the side of the fridge after we moved it into the new kitchen.

COMPLEX

The microwave makes a loud ding when the timer finishes, alerting everyone in the office that lunch is ready.

Synonyms

Etymology 1

From Middle English dingen, dyngen (strong verb), from Old English dingan (“to ding”), from Proto-West Germanic dingwan, from Proto-Germanic dingwaną (“to beat”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰen- (“to beat, push”). Related to Old English denġan, denċġan (“to ding, knock, beat, strike”, weak verb) and Old Norse dengja (“to hammer”, weak verb); both from Proto-Germanic dangijaną (“to beat, hammer, peen”), causative of dingwaną. Cognate with Icelandic dengja (“to hammer”), Swedish dänga (“to bang, beat”), Danish dænge (“to bang, beat”), German tengeln, dengeln (“to peen”).

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic. Compare ding-dong,

Etymology 3

Romanized from Mandarin 鼎 (dǐng).

Etymology 4

From Cantonese 丁 (ding¹).

Usage

Commonly used in automotive contexts to describe minor damage that does not require major repairs.