jink

plural jinks

1. A quick evasive turn.
2. A jack or knucklebone used in the game of jinks (possibly derived from the Scottish game high jinks).

present singular third person jinks · participle present jinking · participle past jinked · past jinked

1. intransitiveTo make a quick evasive turn or turns to confuse pursuers, incoming fire, etc.

   But faith! he'll turn a corner jinkin, / An' cheat you yet.

   1786, Robert Burns, “Address to the Devil”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, volume I

   3 more examples

   Do not jink. This serves no purpose and will only spoil your run in.

   1943, G B Warnes, Hints and Tips for Beginners (and others) in Whirlwind Bombers Attacking Shipping, National Archives AIR 27/1551

   A man on skis was coming fast after him. […] Bond […] gave a deep sigh of anger, and put on all the speed he could, crouching low and jinking occasionally to spoil the man's aim.

   1963, Ian Fleming, On Her Majesty's Secret Service

   As the Gunners attacked in unrelenting waves of red the opportunities started to fall their way, as the outstanding Wilshere fired at Hart and then Van Persie jinked into space only to see his arrow-like 18-yard left-foot rocket shot cannon back off the base of Hart's right-hand post.

   2011 January 5, Jonathan Stevenson, “Arsenal 0 - 0 Man City”, in BBC

2. transitiveTo cause a vehicle to make a quick evasive turn.

   Jink it he did. Norton pushed the aircraft left just as he was at the bottom of his loop.

   2000, Mack Maloney, Shuttle Down, →ISBN

3. intransitivecard gamesIn the games of spoilfive and forty-five, to win the game by taking all five tricks; also, to attempt to win all five tricks, losing what has been already won if unsuccessful.
4. To elude; to cheat.
5. To clink or chink against.

   So they put on a bit of extra pace and were nearly through that section when they heard voices coming out of a clump of bushes and the sound of plates being jinked together.

   1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 72