dial. Also KINK. [Goes back to an OE. *cincian of which the vbl. sb. cincung occurs in 11th c., corresp. to LG. and Du. kinken to cough, to draw the breath with difficulty, app. a LG. nasalized form of *kîk-an, whence MHG. kîchen, mod.G. keichen to gasp, cough. In Eng. the northern dial. form kink is common from the 14th c.; but chink is known only in modern dialect writers or illustrators (Lancashire, Cheshire, etc. Cf. CHINK sb.1, CHINCOUGH.]
intr. To gasp convulsively for breath, lose one’s breath spasmodically, in coughing or laughing.
[c. 1050. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 171. Cachinnatio, ceahhetung uel cincung.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 309. I laghe that I kynke.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 46. Hee laughes and kincks like Chrysippus.]
1853. Mrs. Gaskell, Ruth, II. v. 94 (D.). He chinked and crowed with laughing delight.
1875. Lancash. Gloss. (E. D. S.), Chink, to lose one’s breath with coughing or laughter.
1884. Holland, Chester Gloss. (E. D. S.), Chink, to catch or draw the breath in laughing. When a child first begins to make a noise in laughing, it is often said ‘it fairly chinks again.’
