hint Hear it!

hint Definition

hint (hint)

noun

  1. a slight indication of a fact, wish, etc.; indirect suggestion or piece of advice; intimation; covert allusion a hint that we should leave
  2. a very small amount or degree; trace a hint of spice
  3. Obsolete an occasion; opportunity

Etymology: prob. var. of hent

transitive verb

to give a hint of; suggest indirectly; intimate

intransitive verb

to make a hint or hints

hint Related Forms

hint′er noun

hint Idioms

hint at

to suggest indirectly; intimate

take a hint

to perceive and act on a hint

hint Synonyms

hint

n.

  1. An intimation

    allusion, inkling, insinuation, implication, reference, advice, observation, adumbration, reminder, communication, notice, information, announcement, inside information, tip, clue, implied warning, token, idea, omen, scent, cue, trace, whiff, iota, suspicion, notion, whisper, taste, evidence, reminder, memorandum, innuendo, prompter, signification, symptom, connotation, smattering, sign, wink, bare suggestion, glimmering, impression, denotation, supposition, tinge, vague knowledge, inference, prefigurement, premonition, broad hint, gentle hint, word to the wise, memorandum, mnemonic device, manifestation, foretoken, indirection, indication, slight knowledge, tip-off*, pointer*, dope*; see also suggestion 1.

  2. A guarded remark

    innuendo, whisper, reflection, aside, insinuation, admonition, sign, suggestion, mention; see also sense 1, allusion, warning.

hint Synonyms

hint

v.

touch on, refer to, allude to, intimate, apprise, inform, hint at, imply, infer, acquaint, remind, impart, bring up, recall, cue, prompt, insinuate, indicate, wink, broach, signify, foreshadow, advise, adumbrate, cause to remember, inform by indirection, make an allusion to, jog the memory, give a hint of, make indirect suggestion, suggest, give indirect information, make mention of, remark in passing, drop a hint, whisper, give an inkling of*, tip off*, put a bug in one's ear*, tip the wink*, slip the dope*; see also mention, propose 1, refer 2, warn 1.

Antonyms hide*, conceal*, cover. See syn. study at suggest.suggest.

hint Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • vanilla: They have a wonderful South African tea with a hint of vanilla ( Bourbon was the name ) which was delicious.
  • irony: Only Gaz would never call it that " I make soul music, " he says without even a hint of irony.
  • spice: The food is French, the flavors with a subtle hint of north African spice.
  • sweetness: Traditional Add chopped young leaves of angelica to fruit salads to give them fresh flavor with a hint of sweetness.
  • sarcasm: Of course, some of you may have noticed a slight hint of sarcasm there?
  • licorice: The palate was quite astringent with some tannins and hints of licorice.

Converse of object

  • drop: Let us drop a heavy hint for you Are you moving house soon, maybe having a birthday or deserve a special present?
  • detect: Does one detect a hint of bitterness in these descriptions?
  • give: Avoid giving hints about how the person should interact with your web pages.
  • render: Specified by: put in interface Map Parameters: key - the rendering hint key. value - the rendering hint value.

Preposition: at

possibility: The Green Paper hinted at the possibility of fiscal measures to promote that investment.

Adjective modifier

  • handy: Here are some handy hints on how to keep on the right track.
  • slight: Of course, some of you may have noticed a slight hint of sarcasm there?
  • helpful: Here are some helpful hints Explore the critical nature of your thinking.
  • subtle: She spends the week dropping subtle hints, which I totally fail to notice.
  • faint: Indeed, many never leave Tarmac or gather the faintest hint of mud.
  • vague: Also you need to be specific - vague hints will not do.

Noun used with modifier

  • merest: But the strange thing about all of these accounts is that none of them contain the merest hint of a library or any books.
  • rendering: The area of interest is supplied as a Shape, and the rendering hints are supplied as a RenderingHints object.
  • password: IE6 also asks you to enter a password hint - just in case you do forget your password Click the [ Settings ] button.

Browse dictionary entries near hint

  1. ‹ Hinshelwood
  2. ‹ hinny
  3. ‹ hinged
  4. ‹ hinge joint
  5. ‹ hinge
  6. ‹ Hines
  7. ‹ Hindustani
  8. ‹ Hindustan
  9. ‹ Hinduism
  10. ‹ Hindu Kush
  1. hinted at ›
  2. hinterland ›
  3. hip ›
  4. hip boots ›
  5. hip-hop ›
  6. hip-huggers ›
  7. hip joint ›
  8. hip pointer ›
  9. hip roof ›
  10. hip-shooter ›