subs. (old).—1. A prison or lock-up; specifically applied, it is thought, to a noted gaol in the borough of Southwark; subsequently to places—like Alsatia, the Mint, etc.—privileged from arrests; and latterly, to a small dismal prison or a military guard room. For synonyms, see CAGE.
1515. BARCLAY, Eglogues, I. (1570) A. 5, 4. Then art thou clapped in the Flete or CLINKE. [M.]
1641. MILTON, An Apology for Smectymnuus, § ii., in wks. (1806) I., 237. And the divine right of episcopacy was then valiantly asserted, when he who would have been respondent, must have bethought himself withal how he could refute the CLINK or the Gatehouse.
1834. MARRYAT, Jacob Faithful, ch. xix. Come along with me; we’ve a nice CLINK at Wandsworth to lock you up in.
1839. W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard, ep. I., ch. vi. The old and ruinous prison belonging to the liberty of the Bishop of Winchester (whose palace formerly adjoined the river), called the CLINK.
2. (thieves’).—Silver plate; also CLINCH.—See CLANK.
1781. G. PARKER, A View of Society, II. He wouldn’t have been hobbled but the melting-pot receiver proved his selling the CLINK to him.
3. (Scotch colloquial).—Money. Cf., CHINK.
1724–40. RAMSAY, The Tea-table Miscellany, 14.
| The Warld is rul’d by Asses, | |
| And the Wise are sway’d by CLINK. |
1789. BURNS, Letter to James Tennant.
| May ye get monie a merry story, | |
| Monie a laugh, and monie a drink, | |
| An’ aye enough o’ needfu’ CLINK. |
1817. HOGG, Tales and Sketches, II., 2, 3, ‘Welldean Hall.’ Such young ladies as were particularly beautiful, accomplished, and had the CLINK. [M.]
4. (colloquial).—Also BUM-CLINK.—A very indifferent beer made from the gyle of malt and the sweepings of hop bins, and brewed especially for the benefit of agricultural labourers in harvest time.
1863. G. A. SALA, The Strange Adventures of Captain Dangerous, I., ix., 266. A miserable hovel of an inn … where they ate their rye-bread and drank their sour CLINK. [M.]
TO KISS THE CLINK, verbal phr. (old).—To be imprisoned. [From CLINK, subs., sense 1.] For synonyms, see COP.
1588. J. UDALL, The State of the Church of England, etc., p. 22 (ARBER’S ed.). DIOTR. Awaye thou rayling hypocrite, I will talke with thee no longer, if I catche thee in London, I will make thee KISS THE CLINKE for this geare. PAUL. In deede the CLYNKE, Gate-house, White-lyon, and the fleet, haue bin your onely argumentes whereby you haue proued your cause these many yeeres.
1889. Gentleman’s Magazine, p. 598. s.v.
