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 Tinkle - What's the difference?

chime | tinkle | Synonyms |

In intransitive terms the difference between chime and tinkle

is that chime is to agree; to correspond while tinkle is to make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell.

In transitive terms the difference between chime and tinkle

is that chime is to utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically while tinkle is to indicate, signal, etc. by tinkling.

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

    *

    tinkle

    English

    Verb

    (tinkl)
  • To make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell.
    • The glasses tinkled together as they were placed on the table.
  • * Dodsley
    • The sprightly horse / Moves to the music of his tinkling bells.
  • (intransitive, informal, juvenile) To urinate.
  • To cause to tinkle.
  • To indicate, signal, etc. by tinkling.
    • The butler tinkled dinner.
  • To hear, or resound with, a small, sharp sound.
  • * Dryden
    • And his ears tinkled , and the colour fled.

    Related terms

    * tinkle the ivories

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A light metallic sound, resembling the tinkling of bells or wind chimes.
  • * 1994 , (Stephen Fry), (The Hippopotamus) , ch. 2:
    • At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. . . . There were no sounds of any movement upstairs: no shouts, no sleepy grumbles, only a gentle tinkle from the decorations as the tree had recovered from the collision.
  • (UK, informal) A telephone call.
    • Give me a tinkle when you arrive.
  • (informal, euphemism) An act of urination.