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Plink vs Clink - What's the difference?

plink | clink |

As nouns the difference between plink and clink

is that plink is a short, high-pitched sound while clink is the sound of metal on metal, or glass on glass.

As verbs the difference between plink and clink

is that plink is to play a song or a portion of a song, usually on a percussion instrument such as a piano while clink is to make a clinking sound; to make a sound of metal on metal or glass on glass; to strike materials such as metal or glass against one another.

plink

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A short, high-pitched sound

    • Related terms

    * (go "plink") to make a short, high pitched sound, to break while making a "plink" sound, : ''The lightbulb went "plink".

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (colloquial) To play a song or a portion of a song, usually on a percussion instrument such as a piano.
  • * 1971: Louis C. Reichman, Barry J. Wishart, American Politics and Its Interpreters
    • He can plink out Let Me Call You Sweetheart for reporters on a piano or rib himself on television talk shows....
  • * 1997: Kevin Osborn, Signe Larson, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Bringing Up Baby
    • Your child may also begin to plink out a few notes on a xylophone or toy piano before her first birthday.
  • * 2004: Angela Elwell Hunt, The Truth Teller
    • The female deputy sat down at the ramshackle piano and proceeded to plink out the opening notes of "Heart and Soul."
    English onomatopoeias

    clink

    English

    Etymology 1

    Onomatpoeic, as metal against metal. Related to (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m). Maybe from (etyl) , related to call. English onomatopoeias

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (onomatopoeia) The sound of metal on metal, or glass on glass.
    • You could hear the clink of the glasses from the next room.
  • * 1874 , (Marcus Clarke), (For the Term of His Natural Life) Chapter V
    • When Frere had come down, an hour before, the prisoners were all snugly between their blankets. They were not so now; though, at the first clink of the bolts, they would be back again in their old positions, to all appearances sound asleep.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a clinking sound; to make a sound of metal on metal or glass on glass; to strike materials such as metal or glass against one another.
    • The hammers clinked on the stone all night.
  • * Tennyson
    • the clinking latch
  • (humorous, dated) To rhyme.

    • Etymology 2

    From prison in Southwark, London, itself presumably named after sound of doors being bolted or chains rattling.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang) Jail or prison, after (w) prison in Southwark, London. Used in the phrase (in the clink).
    • If he keeps doing things like that, he’s sure to end up in the clink .
  • Stress cracks produced in metal ingots as they cool after being cast.
    • Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * in the clink