ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fink on

phr. v..
C2 Proficiency Oxford Informal Slang

phr. v.. to tell someone in authority, like a teacher or the police, about something bad another person did. You usually do this to get them in trouble or to help yourself.

phr. v.. to inform on or betray an associate to an authority figure; functions as an intransitive phrasal verb followed by a prepositional object.


SIMPLE

He decided to fink on his friends to avoid jail.

CONTEXTUAL

The gang members were worried that one of their own might fink on them to the detectives.

COMPLEX

The informant was eventually ostracized by his community after it was discovered he had been finking on local activists for years.

Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
fink + on + object
Usage

highly informal and carries a strong negative connotation of betrayal.

Teaching tip

this is a more colorful, slangy alternative to 'inform on' or 'tell on'; it is often associated with crime movies or schoolyard snitching.

Pitfall

He finked his brother.He finked on his brother.the verb requires the preposition 'on' before the person being reported.

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