Ding

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /dɪŋ/

Definitions

1. A minor depression or small chip typically found on a hard surface ; a clear, sharp bell-like sound often produced by metal objects ; to cause slight damage or impairment to an object or reputation
2. A small indentation or blemish caused by impact ; the act or noise of producing a metallic ring ; to dent or mar something slightly, causing minor harm
3. An imperfection such as a shallow dent or notch on a surface ; the ringing or chiming noise made by some objects when struck ; to inflict a light blow or diminish the quality or value of something

Etymology: The English verb "ding" traces back to a Germanic root meaning "to beat." Middle English had the strong verb "dingen" or "dyngen," which passed down from Old English "dingan," and it meant to strike, hammer or beat something. Its closest relatives are still lively in northern Europe: Icelandic "dengja" means to hammer, Swedish "dänga" means to bang or beat, and German "dengeln" means to peen a scythe blade by hammering its edge. The sound-making sense is probably older than we can prove. The word is onomatopoeic, close kin to "ding-dong," the imitation of a bell's chime, so a blow that rings out and a dent that comes from a knock share the same sonic origin. The modern noun for a small surface dent in a car door or a bumper is a figurative extension of that old sense of striking. A separate "ding" also exists in English, borrowed from Chinese. The Mandarin "dǐng" (鼎), and the Cantonese "ding1" (丁), name a bronze cooking vessel with legs, and that word is unrelated to the Germanic verb.

Synonyms: ring, sound, chime, tinkle, peal

Antonyms: silence, mute, quiet, stillness, calm