Skip to content
word of the day

The word for today is…

jink (verb) – To make a quick, evasive turn.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : Besides the fact that jink first appears in Scottish English, the exact origins of this shifty little word are unknown. What can be said with certainty is that the word has always expressed a quick or unexpected motion. For instance, in two poems from 1785, Robert Burns uses jink as a verb to indicate both the quick motion of a fiddler’s elbow and the sudden disappearance of a cheat around a corner. In the 20th century, the verb caught on with air force pilots and rugby players, who began using it to describe their elusive manoeuvres to dodge opponents and enemies. Jink can also be used as a noun meaning “a quick evasive turn” or, in its plural form, “pranks.” The latter use was likely influenced by the term high jinks, which originally referred in the late 17th century to a Scottish drinking game and later came to refer to horseplay.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends.

Latest

The Good Oil News Quiz

The Good Oil News Quiz

Are you an avid reader of The Good Oil? Take our News quiz to find out how much information you can recall from our articles published this week.

Members Public