What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Chime vs Timepiece - What's the difference?

chime | timepiece |

As nouns the difference between chime and timepiece

is that chime is (musical instruments) a musical instrument producing a sound when struck, similar to a bell (eg a tubular metal bar) or actually a bell often used in the plural to refer to the set: the chimes or chime can be a chine; the edge of a cask while timepiece is any device that measures or registers time; a clock or watch, especially one lacking a chime or other striking mechanism.

As a verb chime

is to make the sound of a chime.

chime

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) cymbalum'' (perhaps via (etyl) ''chimbe ).

Noun

(en noun)
  • (musical instruments) A musical instrument producing a sound when struck, similar to a bell (e.g. a tubular metal bar) or actually a bell. Often used in the plural to refer to the set: the chimes .
  • Sylvia had a recording of someone playing the chimes against a background of surf noise that she found calming.
    Hugo was a chime player in the school orchestra.
  • An individual ringing component of such a set.
  • Peter removed the C
  • chime from its mounting so that he could get at the dust that had accumulated underneath.
  • A small bell or other ringing or tone-making device as a component of some other device.
  • The professor had stuffed a wad of gum into the chime of his doorbell so that he wouldn't be bothered.
  • The sound of such an instrument or device.
  • The copier gave a chime to indicate that it had finished printing.
  • A small hammer or other device used to strike a bell.
  • Strike the bell with the brass chime hanging on the chain next to it.
    Derived terms
    * chimist
    Synonyms
    (Synonyms) * alarm * bell * buzz * buzzer * carillon * clapper * curfew * dinger * ding-dong * gong * peal * ringer * siren * tintinnabulum * tocsin * toll * vesper

    Verb

    (chim)
  • To make the sound of a chime.
  • The microwave chimed to indicate that it was done cooking.
    I got up for lunch as soon as the wall clock began chiming noon.
  • To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony.
  • * Dryden
  • And chime their sounding hammers.
  • To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically.
  • * Byron
  • Chime his childish verse.
  • To agree; to correspond.
  • The other lab's results chimed with mine, so I knew we were on the right track with the research.
  • * Washington Irving
  • Everything chimed in with such a humor.
  • To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming.
  • (Cowley)

    Derived terms

    * chime in, chime up

    Etymology 2

    See chimb.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A chine; the edge of a cask.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    *

    timepiece

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any device that measures or registers time; a clock or watch, especially one lacking a chime or other striking mechanism.
  • Usage notes

    * Strictly, a timepiece is a timekeeping instrument that lacks a striking mechanism (e.g., a bell, chimes, or gong) to announce the passage of time. One with a striking mechanism is a clock. Although this traditional distinction is overlooked by some, it is commonly noted in dictionaries, glossaries of clock terms, and reference books on clocks, in addition to being widely maintained among knowledgeable collectors, major auction houses, horological museums, and watch manufacturers.