Word
dint
US/ˈdɪnt/
UK/dˈɪnt/
Definitions
01by means of
n. used in the phrase 'by dint of' to mean achieving something through hard work or force.
n. force or power; almost exclusively used in the fixed idiom 'by dint of' to indicate the means or agency by which something is achieved.
“He managed to pass the difficult exam by dint of hard work and long hours.”
“She eventually secured the promotion by dint of sheer persistence and an unwavering commitment to the firm's long-term goals.”
Formal
Usage
Always used in the construction 'by dint of' followed by a noun phrase.
02a physical mark
n. a small mark or hollow area on a surface caused by a blow.
n. an indentation or impression made by a blow or pressure.
“The old shield was covered in dints from many years of battle.”
“The surface of the silver platter was marred by several small dints where it had been dropped on the stone floor.”
Archaic · Literary
03to make a mark
v. to make a small mark or hollow in a surface by hitting it.
v. to make an indentation or dent in a surface.
“The falling rocks started to dint the roof of the small car.”
“The heavy hail was large enough to dint the metal siding of the barn during the peak of the storm.”
Archaic
Real-World Examples
“Australia might wish it so – it might feel it too, by dint of distant geography – but this country is not removed from the massive movement of people around the globe.” Etymology
From Middle English dint, dent, dünt, from Old English dynt (“dint, blow, strike, stroke, bruise, stripe; the mark left by a blow; the sound or noise made by a blow, thud”), from Proto-Germanic duntiz (“a blow”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰen- (“to strike, hit”). Cognate with Swedish dialectal dunt, Icelandic dyntr (“a dint”). Doublet of dent.
From Middle English dinten, from the noun. Compare Old Norse dynta.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/dint