Klinkers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term referring to bricks or paving stones commonly used in construction or landscaping to create durable surfaces ; the distinctive clinking sound produced when metal objects strike each other ; the act of locking or securing with a clasp or hook often used in mechanical or maritime contexts
2. A name for rectangular blocks of fired clay used for building or pavement ; a sharp metallic noise resulting from the collision of hard objects ; the process or mechanism of fastening components together with a locking device
3. Designation for individual units of brickwork or stonework employed in paths and floors ; the ringing or clattering sound made by striking metals ; the function of joining parts firmly by engaging a locking joint or catch

Etymology: Klinker is a Dutch-derived word, and in English its plural is the form most readers meet. Its story is tied to the clinking sound of fired brick: the Dutch "klinker" originally named a hard, vitrified brick, one baked until it rang when struck. The English form "klinkers" is simply that Dutch plural, carried over with the material itself.

Synonyms: clinkers, bricks, furnace residues