Forms: 1 cine, cyne, cinu, 4–5 chene, 4–6 chyn, 4–6, 9 chyne, 5–6 chinne, chynne, chin, 3– chine. [OE. cinu, -an, wk. fem., corresp. to MDu. kēne, Du. keen (:—kina) chap, germ, f. root ki- to burst open, split, etc.: see CHINE v.1
The phonetic history has points of doubt. The normal course was for the i to remain short, which is exemplified by the frequent chynne, chinne, chyn, chin of 15–16th c. But chene was the form with many (e.g., Trevisa, Palladius). In the middle of the 16th c. the word was superseded except in the local use, 2 b. by CHINK, in which mod. usage makes the ī long.]
† 1. An open fissure or crack in a surface; a cleft, crack, chink, leak. Obs.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxv. § 3. Duru þær ðær ic ær ʓeseah ane lytle cynan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 154 (Bosw.). Gemette he ðæt fæt swa ʓehal ðæt ðær nan cinu on næs ʓesewen.
1382. Wyclif, Song Sol. ii. 14. In the chyne of a ston wal.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxxiii. (Tollem. MS.). Schippis beþ pichid þerwiþ, and chynes [ed. 1535 chinnes] and crasyng of schippes beþ stopped.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1140. Iche hole & chene.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 4259. In at the chynnes of the bordes they prye.
a. 1535. More, De quat. Noviss., Wks. 100. A leude master … letteth … his shyp fal on a leke, and than careth not yet to stop the chines.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, Hh i. Betwene the chines and gynks [ed. 1564 chynes and chynkes] of closely ioynyd bourdes.
1572. J. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 72. In the holes and chynnes.
1582. Batman, ed. Barth. De P. R., 179. In chinnes. Ibid., 180. In chins and walls.
† b. spec. A fissure or crack in the skin; a chap.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 14012. Where she fonde chyn or soore Wiþ oynement she anoynt þore.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xxiii. (Tollem. MS.). Þey … hauen ofte euel drye chines in þe hynder party of þe foot.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, 49. Pusshes, chappyngs or chyns, which cause great payne. Ibid., III. iii. (1634), 170. The childes lippes … hauing … clefts and chines.
1562. Bulleyn, Dial. Sorenes & Chyr., 45 a. Any clifte or chinne.
† c. A cut, an incision. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, VI. vi. (Tollem. MS.). In that stone … is seen of that stroke a chynne of an elne longe. Ibid. (Rolls), I. 223. Þe chene of his wounde [vulneris hiatus].
† 2. A fissure in the surface of the earth; a crevice, chasm. Obs.
c. 1050. Ags. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 381. Crypte, cinan.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 402. In eried lond or in erðchine.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 233. Þere was somtyme in þe myddel of Rome a greet chene in þe erþe; out of þat chene come smoke and brymston, and slow many man.
1480. Cambriæ Epit., 271. In that hither side in a chene Shall thou here wonder dene.
c. 1490. Caxton, Ovid’s Met., XIV. viii. By chynnes and krevays.
1577. Harrison, Descr. Brit., x. 35. A rocke … which hath a little rift or chine upon the side.
b. spec. On the Isle of Wight and Hampshire coast, a deep and narrow ravine cut in soft rock strata by a stream descending steeply to the sea.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 281. One of these chines, near Boscomb, has been deepened twenty feet within a few years.
1837. Marryat, Dog-fiend, xv. A certain point close to the Black Gang chyne.
1879. Jenkinson, I. of Wight, 69. The Shanklin Chine is the most beautiful of any on the island.
