tinkle

tin·kle (tiŋ′kəl)

intransitive verb -·kled, -·kling

to make a series of small, short, light, ringing sounds like those of a very small bell
☆ Informal to urinate: child's term

Etymology: ME tynclen, freq. of tinken, to make a tinkling sound, of echoic orig.

transitive verb

noun

the act or sound of tinkling

tin′·kler noun tin′·kly adjective -·klier, -·kli·est

give someone a tinkle

Brit. to call someone on the telephone

jingle, clink, chink, ring, chime, tintinnabulate, make a thin metallic sound, make a bell-like sound; see also sound 1.

Object

ivories: Noel's specialty was tinkling the ivories on a piano often to be found in a club house.
bell: The options include: Broken dial tone ( default ) or tinkling the bell every 15 minutes on standard phones.
piano: The instruments used range from tinkling piano to elegant strings.
ivory: Around this lies the vibrating, tinkling ivories and a variety of guitar and bass sounds - an effective piece.
sound: A wind chime fountain is a lovely way to add tinkling sounds to the water murmur.
music: I hope they will get a proper hearing and it won't just be tinkling wall-paper music!

Converse of object

hear: On hearing the shop doorbell tinkle, the shopkeeper appeared from the backroom.

Adjective modifier

little: The old lady laughed, not a dainty little tinkle, but a deep, throaty belly-laugh.

Preposition: on

piano: It's even got Elton John tinkling away on the piano.
floor: Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

Modifying Another Word

away: I'd just passed through the lobby where a grand piano was tinkling away to a few guests.
sweetly: Elsewhere, the driving wall-of-sound force of Good Morning Joan, tempered by sweetly tinkling bells, is sublime.
still: Music Still tinkle the ivories whenever I get a chance but very rarely play an instument.

Followed by an intransitive particle

down: I got him somewhere; for the knife tinkled down on the floor.

Preposition: in

background: A pianist tinkling quietly in the background creates a lovely feel.

Preposition: of

bell: The gentle tinkle of sheep bells floating across the countryside makes a very relaxing sound.
cowbell: Echoing in the surrounding hillside is the delightful tinkle of cowbells.
glass: There was a strange, loud whiz and a long, silvery tinkle of broken glass.

Noun used with modifier

piano: Waving, meandering and shifting synthesizer tones are his main ingredients, despite the vague piano tinkle in ' Prophet Making ' .

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