Heading
1630. Jonson, New Inn, I. Where every jovial tinker, for his chink, May cry, Mine host, to crambe! 'Give us drink.'
1754. B. Martin, Eng. Dict., 2 ed., s.v.
18(?). Miss Wetherell, Glenham-Family, ch. xxviii. 'I guess it's something else,—she had chink enough to buy shoes with, I know.'
2. (general).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.
Chinkers, subs. (old).—1. Money—See
Chink.
1834. Taylor, Ph. van Artevelde, pt. II., iii., 1. We're vile crossbow-men, and a knight are you, But steel is steel, and flesh is still but flesh, So let us see your chinkers.
1887. Baumann, A Slang Ditty. Rum coves that relieve us of chinkers and pieces, Is gin'rally lagged, Or, wuss luck, they gits scragged.
2. (thieves').—Handcuffs united by a chain. [Derivation obvious.] For synonyms, see Darbies.
Chin-Music, subs. (American).—Talk;
chatter; oratory. Cf.,
Chin-wag. The French say
casser un mot.
1872. S. L. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), Roughing It, p. 332. The thing I'm now on is to roust out somebody to jerk a little chin-music for us.
1874. S. L. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), Gilded Age. Whereupon a young sprig . . . began to sass [sauce] the conductor with his chin-music.
1876, Besant and Rice, Golden Butterfly, ch. xxvi. 'I am not,' said he, 'going to orate. You did not come here, I guess, to hear me pay out chin-music.
1883. Bread-Winners, 77. If we have joined this order to listen to chin-music the rest of our lives.
Chinning, verbal subs. (American).—Chatting;
talking.
Chinny, adj. (American).—Talkative.
[From chin, verb, sense
1, + ny.]
Chinqua Soldi, subs. phr.
(theatrical).—Fivepence. [From
the Italian.]
Chinse, subs. (Winchester College).—a
chance. [Apparently a
corrupted form of the word.]
Chin-Wag, subs. (common).—Talk;
chatter; officious impertinence.
1879. Punch, No. 2061, p. 4. I'd just like to have a bit of chin-wag with you on the quiet.
Chip, subs. (American).—1. [In
plural.] Items of news, more
especially locals (q.v.).
2. A reporter who collects chips, sense 1.
3. (common).—A sovereign.—See Chips, sense 5.
1883. Miss Braddon, Phantom Fortune, ch. xli. Where sheafs of bank notes were being exchanged for those various coloured counters which represented divers values, from the respectable 'pony to the modest chip.
4. (gaming).—See Chips, subs. sense 2.
Verb (American).—To understand. For synonyms, see Twig
18(?). Francis, Saddle and Moccasin. I knew at once that they had got scared, and had trenched up like a bevy of quails; so I said to Jim, 'Now you let me do the talking, when they begin to sing "Indians"—don't you chip?'
To chip in, verb (common).—To contribute one's share in money or kind; to join in an undertaking; to interpose smartly.
1884. Bret Harte, In the Tunnel. When you'll hear the next fool Asking of Flynn—Just you chip in, Say you knew Flynn.
