inkling

inkling
/ingk"ling/, n.
1. a slight suggestion or indication; hint; intimation: They hadn't given us an inkling of what was going to happen.
2. a vague idea or notion; slight understanding: They didn't have an inkling of how the new invention worked.
[1505-15; obs. inkle to hint (ME inklen) + -ING1; akin to OE inca suspicion]

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Inkling — In kling, n. A hint; an intimation. [1913 Webster] The least inkling or glimpse of this island. Bacon. [1913 Webster] They had some inkling of secret messages. Clarendon. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inkling — [iŋk′liŋ] n. [ME ingkiling < inclen, to give an inkling of] 1. an indirect suggestion; slight indication; hint 2. a vague idea or notion; suspicion …   English World dictionary

  • inkling — index clue, hint, inference, intimation, notion, perception, reference (allusion), suggestion …   Law dictionary

  • inkling — c.1400, apparently from the gerund of M.E. verb inclen utter in an undertone, hint at, hint (mid 14c.), which is of unknown origin; perhaps related to O.E. inca doubt, suspicion …   Etymology dictionary

  • inkling — [n] idea, clue conception, cue, faintest idea*, foggiest idea*, glimmering, hint, hot lead*, hunch*, impression, indication, innuendo, intimation, lead, notion, sneaking suspicion*, suggestion, suspicion, tip, tipoff, whisper; concept 689 …   New thesaurus

  • inkling — ► NOUN ▪ a slight suspicion; a hint. ORIGIN from archaic inkle «say in an undertone» …   English terms dictionary

  • inkling — n. 1) the faintest, slightest inkling 2) an inkling that + clause (I didn t have the slightest inkling that he was ill) * * * [ ɪŋklɪŋ] slightest inkling the faintest an inkling that + clause (I didn t have the slightest inkling that he was ill) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • inkling — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ first ▪ The first inkling we had of Cliff s problem was when he didn t come to work. ▪ faintest, slightest ▪ We didn t have the slightest inkling of the dramatic news we were about to hear …   Collocations dictionary

  • inkling — ink|ling [ˈıŋklıŋ] n [C usually singular] [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Probably from inkle to say quietly, hint (1300 1400)] a slight idea about something →↑suspicion ▪ I had an inkling that she was pregnant. inkling of ▪ She had absolutely no… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • inkling — in|kling [ ıŋklıŋ ] noun count a slight idea or small piece of information that tells you that something might exist or be happening: The first inkling that something was wrong came on Wednesday. have no inkling: I had no inkling how serious… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • inkling — [[t]ɪ̱ŋklɪŋ[/t]] inklings N COUNT: usu sing, usu N of n/wh, N that/wh If you have an inkling of something, you have a vague idea about it. I had no inkling of his real purpose until much later... We had an inkling that something might be… …   English dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”