tinkle
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
tingkuhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈtɪŋkəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
intransitive
To make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell.
To hear, or resound with, a small, sharp sound.
intransitiveinformal
To urinate.
transitive
To indicate, signal, etc. by tinkling.
transitive
To cause to tinkle.
noun
A light metallic sound, resembling the tinkling of bells or wind chimes.
informaleuphemistic
An act of urination.
informaleuphemistic
Urine.
A light clear metallic sound as of a small bell
ukinformal
A telephone call.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
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Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: light metallic sound
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