ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dink

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈdɪŋk// UK //dˈɪŋk// dink Archaic Dialect Informal Slang Vulgar

n. a person who is seen as weak, boring, or not very impressive. It is a very rude and informal way to insult someone.

n. a contemptible or ineffectual person.


SIMPLE

He is such a dink that he can't even fix a leaky tap.

CONTEXTUAL

The soldiers used the term dink to mock the enemy's lack of courage during the retreat.

Etymology 1

Imitative. Originally US. Attested since the 1930s.

Etymology 2

Origin unknown. Attested since the 1930s.

Etymology 3

Uncertain. Either: * A rhythmatic reduplicative of Chink, a derogatory term for a Chinese person. Attested from Australia since the 1960s (consult the American Heritage Dictionary). * or, clipping of dinky dau/dow, a corrupted borrowing from Vietnamese điên cái đầu (“[you make my] head goes crazy”).

Etymology 4

See dinkum.

Etymology 5

Origin unknown. Attested since the late nineteenth century.

Etymology 6

Origin unknown. Attested in English and in Scots since the sixteenth century.

Etymology 7

See dinq.

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