dink

dink · noun, verb¹

Imitative. Originally US. Attested since the 1930s.

dink · noun, verb²

Origin unknown. Attested since the 1930s.

dink · noun³

Uncertain. Either: * A rhythmatic reduplicative of Chink, a derogatory term for a Chinese person. Attested from Australia since the 1960s (consult the American Heritage Dictionary). * or, clipping of dinky dau/dow, a corrupted borrowing from Vietnamese điên cái đầu (“[you make my] head goes crazy”).

dink · verb⁴

1. Proto-Germanic*drinkaną
2. Proto-West Germanic*drinkan
3. Old Englishdrincan
4. Middle Englishdrynken
5. Englishdrink
6. English todaydink

Syncopic form of drink.

dink · adjective, adverb, noun⁵

See dinkum.

dink · noun⁶

Origin unknown. Attested since the late nineteenth century.

dink · adjective⁷

Origin unknown. Attested in English and in Scots since the sixteenth century.

dink · adjective⁸

See dinq.

DINK · noun⁹

Originally US. First attested in the 1980s.

First known use, by meaning

• from 1960s A foolish or contemptible person.