clinker

¹

[ kling-ker ]

noun

, Slang.

1. any mistake or error.
2. something that is a failure; a product of inferior quality.
3. a wrong note in a musical performance.
4. British. someone or something wonderful or exceedingly well-liked.

clinker

²

[ kling-ker ]

noun

1. a person or thing that clinks.

clinker

³

[ kling-ker ]

noun

1. a mass of incombustible matter fused together, as in the burning of coal.
2. a hard Dutch brick, used especially for paving.
3. a partially vitrified mass of brick.
4. the scale of oxide formed on iron during forging.
5. Geology. a mass of vitrified material ejected from a volcano.

verb (used without object)

1. to form clinkers in burning.

clinker

/ ˈklɪŋkə /

noun

1. the ash and partially fused residues from a coal-fired furnace or fire
2. Also calledclinker brick a hard brick used as a paving stone
3. a partially vitrified brick or mass of brick
4. slang.
   something of poor quality, such as a film
5. slang.
   a mistake or fault, esp a wrong note in music

verb

1. intr to form clinker during burning

Word History and Origins

Origin of clinker¹

First recorded in 1830–40; special use of clinker ²

Origin of clinker²

First recorded in 1680–90; clink ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of clinker³

First recorded in 1635–45; from Dutch klinker (formerly klinkaerd ) “slag”; also a kind of brick, derivative of klinken, clinken “to clink” (from the sound the material makes when struck)

Word History and Origins

Origin of clinker¹

C17: from Dutch klinker a type of brick, from obsolete klinckaerd, literally: something that clinks (referring to the sound produced when one was struck), from klinken to clink ¹

Example Sentences

"She has made enough ridiculous rulings in this case that nobody should be surprised if she makes another clinker," he told Salon.

From Salon

Cement is made through a process called clinkering, where limestone and other raw materials are crushed and heated to about 1,450°C in large kilns.

From Science Daily

Glass bottles, ceramics, coal fragments, ash and clinker were thought to be filling material for the pond.

From BBC

Mr Clinton said Brexit and the trading arrangement that followed had thrown a "clinker" into Northern Ireland's politics.

From BBC

Using different raw materials for clinker could dramatically lower the remaining 60 percent of carbon emissions.

From Scientific American

Related Words

• bickering
• controversy
• disagreement
• discord
• dissent
• disunity
• factionalism
• friction
• fuss
• quarrel
• strife
• wrangle