Clink
/klɪŋk/noun
To make or cause a short, sharp ringing sound.
Did you know?English clink is an onomatopoeic word, but it also became the name of the Clink prison in Southwark, showing how a sound-word can harden into a place associated with confinement.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
clinken
“to make a ringing or tinkling sound”
Late Middle English
English
clink
“a sharp ringing or metallic sound”
16th Century
English
the Clink
“the nickname of a prison in Southwark, London”
Modern English
English
clink
“to make a short, sharp ringing sound; a light metallic sound”