hint1 nounhint2 verb
hinthint1 /hɪnt/ ●●○ noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINhint1
Origin:
1600-1700 Probably from hent ‘act of seizing’ (16-17 centuries), from Old English hentan ‘to seize’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a wine that tastes of blackcurrants with just a hint of vanilla
- His comments were a clear hint that tax rises might be necessary.
- You might notice a hint of brandy in the sauce.
- After all, if you happened to be next him after dinner for ten minutes, he would get invaluable hints.
- For young women in particular, the message conveyed is that of elegance, poise, and perhaps a hint of luxury.
- She spoke amiably, yet with the least hint of dismissal in her voice.
- She wears anachronistic styles as though they were the latest fashion, with no hint of nostalgia.
- Sometimes other hints of friendship between men from different elements of the connection survive.
- Teacher's notes give practical hints on developing reading skills, together with ideas for implementing play-reading in class.
- Their outward appearance gives no hint as to the wealth of amazing finds that have come from local beaches in the past.
- There were hints before the local elections, rumours of some sort of relaunch of the Left.
Longman Language Activatora very small amount of something such as a feeling, quality etc
a very small amount, so that there is not enough to have an effect, be useful, important etc: · "How much do you know about computers?" "Very little, I'm afraid."very little trouble/patience/help etc: · I had very little energy left.· Changing the law will make very little difference.· It makes very little sense for companies to maintain large inventories these days.
such a small amount that you can hardly notice it: almost no trouble/patience/help etc: · Scientists have paid almost no attention to the new theory.· She supports the bill although she admits it has almost no chance of being passed.· The birth control campaign was begun 10 years ago but has had almost no impact in the rural areas.almost none: · "What progress have you made on your research project?" "Almost none."
also scarcely any especially British almost none at all: · She said she felt a lot of regret about leaving, but I felt hardly any at all.hardly any trouble/patience/help etc: · They closed down the whole department with barely any notice to the staff.· Mark is so lazy, he makes scarcely any effort to improve his work.
a very small amount of something, that you almost do not notice: · "Are you ready yet?" asked Hazel, with a touch of irritation in her voice.· For the first time a hint of tension had crept into their relationship.· After speaking to her for awhile, he began to detect a trace of a Southern accent.
formal a small amount, especially when you expect more: little trouble/patience/help etc: · Little progress was made during the negotiations.· The report offers little hope that the economy will improve any time soon.· There seems to be little chance of him coming home for Christmas.
a minimal amount of something is the smallest that is possible, so that it is not worth thinking or worrying about: · The new operating technique involves minimal risk to patients.· The impact of the sale on current employees should be minimal.· The crew had very little experience and were given minimal safety training.
a negligible amount of something is so small that it has almost no effect at all: · The damage done to his property was negligible.· Economists say raising the minimum wage would have a negligible effect on employment rates.· The chances of a healthy adult contracting the disease are negligible.
if you know, learn, say, hear etc next to nothing about something, then you know, learn etc very little about it: · I learned next to nothing at school - the teachers were awful.· My parents know next to nothing about the men I date.
to say something in an indirect way to say something that seems to mean that another thing is true, but without saying the other thing directly: · You seem to be implying something that is not quite true.imply (that): · Michael did imply that I could have the job if I wanted it.· The article implied that unemployed people are lazy and do not want to work.
to say something in an indirect way, especially something bad that you prefer not to say directly: · What are you suggesting? Do you think I'm a thief?suggest (that): · His letter seemed to suggest that he wasn't satisfied with my work.I'm not suggesting (=used for telling someone you are not criticizing them): · I'm not suggesting you deliberately tried to mislead us, just that you made a mistake.
to say something in a very indirect way, but so that other people can guess what you mean: hint (that): · Harry hinted that his friendship with Mona might have contributed to his marriage break-up.hint at: · The President hinted at the possibility of military action.
to say something that suggests that you want to do something or that you want someone to do something, but without saying it directly: drop a hint about: · She kept dropping hints about her birthday, just to make sure none of us forgot about it.· My mother dropped several hints about us wallpapering her sitting room.
if you say something in a roundabout way , you say it in an indirect way, especially to avoid offending or embarrassing someone: · I told him, in a roundabout way, that he wasn't really good enough to join my English class.
the taste of food or drink the feeling that a particular food or drink produces in your mouth when you eat or drink it: · I never drink beer, I just don't like the taste.· a sour tastetaste of: · Have some water to take away the taste of the medicine.
British /flavor American the pleasant, interesting, or strong taste that a particular kind of food or drink has: · This sauce has a really unusual flavour.· We have three flavors of ice cream - strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla.· The wine wasn't bad, but it didn't have much flavour.
a slight, pleasant taste of something that you can only just notice: hint of: · You might notice a hint of brandy in the sauce.· a wine that tastes of blackcurrants with just a hint of vanilla
the unpleasant taste that some kinds of food and drink leave in your mouth after you have swallowed them: · Some customers complained about the salty aftertaste.· The crab left too much of a fishy aftertaste.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs
Our sales staff are there to give you helpful advice. Wagner calls his program ‘the worst talk show in America,’ without a hint of irony. There was just a touch of sarcasm in her voice. The dish had a subtle hint of ginger.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· Come on, what is it? Give me a hint.
(=give a hint)· She was dropping quite a few hints about what she'd like for her birthday.
(=to understand a hint and act on it)· Mark took the hint and shut up.
(=to understand a hint)· I looked hopefully at the cake, but he didn't get the hint.
adjectives (=one that is very easy to understand)· He had dropped a heavy hint that they might get married.
(=one that is not very easy to understand – sometimes used ironically when someone is being very obvious)· I'm sick of her subtle hints that I'm not welcome here.
(=one that is not specific enough to understand)· In his article, he gave only vague hints as to what he had actually done.
phrases (=used when you understand someone's hint)· All right, I can take a hint. I'm leaving.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· I could detect the hint of a German accent in her voice.
(=a small amount in someone's eyes or voice)· Was there a hint of amusement in her voice?
(=a very small sign that someone feels an emotion)· I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes.
Our sales staff are there to give you helpful advice. Wagner calls his program ‘the worst talk show in America,’ without a hint of irony. (=an expression that shows someone wants to play tricks)· There was a glint of mischief in her eyes.
(=a very slight smell of perfume)· As she lifted the letter, she caught the faintest hint of perfume.
There was just a touch of sarcasm in her voice. (=the suggestion that someone may be involved in a scandal)· He vowed that no hint of scandal would ever be attached to him.
The dish had a subtle hint of ginger.· Readers with humorous computing tales or handy hints are welcome to write to Fatal Dos Error at the usual address.· None of them ever enlivened maths lessons with a few handy hints about alternative sexuality.· Here to get you started are a few ... Practical pointers and handy hints 1 Think about your class and year group.· Practical pointers and handy hints 1 Don't feel a failure if you've never had a boyfriend or girlfriend.
· Despite my misgivings, I dropped heavy hints at home.
· Do we ever see articles or helpful hints aimed at us?· Beyond these guidelines, there are plenty of helpful hints to keep you on a low-fat track.· The lads, as always, were on the phone all week with helpful hints.· They were extremely receptive to the helpful hints offered by advice magazines, which were proliferating at the time.· An instruction book is included in the box, with helpful hints and suggestions for projects.· They actually like having a bloke in the passenger seat offering helpful hints at the top of his voice?· This newspaper contains many helpful hints on job seeking as well as lots of varied and interesting job vacancies.· Here, instead are some helpful hints: 1.
· There is little or no hint of the compassion and humanity which lay beneath the cool exterior.· There are no laughs in Little Altars Everywhere, nothing picturesque, and very little hint that sisterhood cures all.· But today there is little hint of Allison's old Champagne Charlie image.
· You only need type the merest hint of innuendo into a search engine to come face to face with a porno advert.· He was shirtless, had the merest hint of a moustache and smiled easily.· The weather was warm and sunny, with the merest hint of a breeze.· There was the merest hint of vulnerability in the urgency of his need for her.· And about the closed lips is the merest hint of a Mona Lisa smile.· Yet it is the merest hint of hope in a story of otherwise unbroken tragedy.
· The slightest hint of trouble over the weekend brought a massive response from fleets of police cars.· Crisp, without the slightest hint of being greasy, it both crunches and melts in your mouth.· At the slightest hint of sloth, cross them off your list.· The slightest hint of militancy was enough to bar a group from being funded.· She searched his face for just the slightest hint that there might be the chance of some give in his rigidity.· But Gordon answered that one, too, betraying only the slightest hint of impatience.· But that does not breed the slightest hint of complacency as the 31-year-old Ballinascreen clubman prepares for the All Ireland final.· It tasted yeasty, with a slight hint of effervescence, and began almost instantly to produce a slow easing of inhibitions.
· It can be anything from a rich and succulent casserole to a stir fry recipe with a subtle hint of the Orient.· He was apparently out of favor with the judges, some of whom had dropped subtle hints that Galindo should move on.· My subtle and not-so-subtle hints to the neighbor did not seem to produce results.· Pictorial representations of women can carry all kinds of subtle hints and messages, can indeed convey a whole world-view of meaning.· And, despite numerous subtle hints - like hiding his desk and computer - he still won't leave us alone.
· This exciting volume is packed with useful hints such as these.· Even organizers of interlaboratory comparisons will find here useful hints for their evaluation strategy.· The third screen gives some useful hints and tips for searching the database.
· The brain drifts back to full consciousness now that there is a vague hint of light spreading across the eastern sky.· What we have are some rather vague hints in later sources.· Homemade pizzas often lack even a vague hint of authenticity.· Vincent had up to then only given vague hints about his relationship with Sien.
VERB· They managed to see Maeda who dropped hints and told them to be circumspect.· He was apparently out of favor with the judges, some of whom had dropped subtle hints that Galindo should move on.· Little by little he dropped hints, but no details.· Occasionally he dropped hints on this matter to Gina.· Despite my misgivings, I dropped heavy hints at home.· But sometimes, the trash drops a hint to a waiter.· He assured me he hadn't mentioned the glass to anyone, hadn't dropped any hints.
· It therefore gives little hint of what makes its author so extraordinary a figure.· A good reporter, given a mere hint of the existence of a story, will pursue it to the end.· After a spell of this, during which he gave no hint of moving, Rain decided to escape.· But he has given no hint he views a race in 2000 any more favorably than in 1996.· Dana had given no hint of where they were going.· As of Wednesday, the doctors were giving no hint of when Camby could return to the top-ranked Minutemen.· Let me give you a hint.· Earlier writers had given hints of the rewards that lay in store for those who followed this intellectual path.
· They actually like having a bloke in the passenger seat offering helpful hints at the top of his voice?· Usually more flavorful than red bell peppers, pimientos offer a hint of heat.· The Olympic trials could also offer a hint of things to come.
· Specific attention is given to providing advice or hints and tips in addressing problems, especially for instrument operation.· The settlement of the barbarians was plainly varied, and our sources provide only a hint of its complexities.· This book provides some hint of insight into his quest of self-discovery.· The Dennis case in the United States provides us with a hint as to how departures from constitutional principle may be explained.
· He has behaved wilfully and erratically, and shows no hint of getting a grip on the country's problems.· That would show at least a hint of what the flow it-self looked like.· Writers were pleased that the group showed no hint of compromise but lamented on the record's lack of pop muscle.· Had it shown even a hint of success, the insecticide surely would have been applied wholesale.· Can you imagine a male presenter wearing peek-a-boo boxer shorts showing more than a hint of his you-know-what?
· Why not simply take the hint and turn his back on the village once and for all?· So he picked him up and took hint off the rubber runner and set him down on the sidewalk.· He wouldn't take the hint, though.· Miguel was never very good at taking hints.· The next day he accompanied Baldwin back to London, and upon arrival took hint to his house in Westminster.· Feffer in the furious whirling of his spirit took hint for a fixed point.· If she couldn't take hints he would tell her he had somebody else.· James didn't seem disposed to take the hint.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► broad hint
1something that you say or do to suggest something to someone, without telling them directly: - I've dropped a few hints about what I want for my birthday.
- My mother dropped several hints about us wallpapering her sitting room.
- She kept dropping hints about her birthday, just to make sure none of us forgot about it.
- But sometimes, the trash drops a hint to a waiter.
- Little by little he dropped hints, but no details.
- Occasionally he dropped hints on this matter to Gina.
- They managed to see Maeda who dropped hints and told them to be circumspect.
There have been hints that he may take up coaching. ‘Look, I can’t tell you.’ ‘Oh, come on, give me a hint.’hint about/as to Miles had been dropping heavy hints about the cost of petrol. I made it clear I wasn’t interested in him, but he didn’t take the hint.2a very small amount or sign of somethinghint of ‘When?’ he asked with a hint of impatience. We shall have to turn back if there’s the slightest hint of fog.3a useful piece of advice about how to do something SYN tiphelpful/handy hintshint on/about helpful hints on looking after houseplantsCOLLOCATIONSverbsgive (somebody) a hint· Come on, what is it? Give me a hint.drop a hint (=give a hint)· She was dropping quite a few hints about what she'd like for her birthday.take a/the hint (=to understand a hint and act on it)· Mark took the hint and shut up.get the hint (=to understand a hint)· I looked hopefully at the cake, but he didn't get the hint.adjectivesa broad/strong/heavy hint (=one that is very easy to understand)· He had dropped a heavy hint that they might get married.a subtle/gentle hint (=one that is not very easy to understand – sometimes used ironically when someone is being very obvious)· I'm sick of her subtle hints that I'm not welcome here.a vague hint (=one that is not specific enough to understand)· In his article, he gave only vague hints as to what he had actually done.phrasesI can take a hint (=used when you understand someone's hint)· All right, I can take a hint. I'm leaving.hint1 nounhint2 verb
hinthint2 ●●○ verb [intransitive, transitive] VERB TABLE
hint
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | hint |
| he, she, it | hints | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | hinted |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have hinted |
| he, she, it | has hinted | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had hinted |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will hint |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have hinted |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am hinting |
| he, she, it | is hinting | |
| you, we, they | are hinting | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was hinting |
| you, we, they | were hinting | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been hinting |
| he, she, it | has been hinting | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been hinting |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be hinting |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been hinting |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Harry hinted that his friendship with Mona might have contributed to his marriage break-up.
- The President hinted at the possibility of military action.
- As Ehrlich hints, wild life resembles that strange loop of the Uroborus biting its tail, consuming itself.
- But abortion-rights elements of the party hinted they may still try to amend or delete the abortion language.
- Nadine had been unable to tell her exactly but had done a good deal of hinting.
- Part of his input is to hint at new things I might write.
- Past the strategies, how can the joys of reading and writing be even hinted at in the Basics Skills For ever classroom?
- Republicans hinted at a willingness to shave their net tax cuts to about $ 177 billion over seven years.
- Simon and John hinted that he was preoccupied, but in fan he was downright bloody rude, and everybody knew it.
Longman Language Activatorto say something in an indirect way
to say something that seems to mean that another thing is true, but without saying the other thing directly: · You seem to be implying something that is not quite true.imply (that): · Michael did imply that I could have the job if I wanted it.· The article implied that unemployed people are lazy and do not want to work.
to say something in an indirect way, especially something bad that you prefer not to say directly: · What are you suggesting? Do you think I'm a thief?suggest (that): · His letter seemed to suggest that he wasn't satisfied with my work.I'm not suggesting (=used for telling someone you are not criticizing them): · I'm not suggesting you deliberately tried to mislead us, just that you made a mistake.
to say something in a very indirect way, but so that other people can guess what you mean: hint (that): · Harry hinted that his friendship with Mona might have contributed to his marriage break-up.hint at: · The President hinted at the possibility of military action.
to say something that suggests that you want to do something or that you want someone to do something, but without saying it directly: drop a hint about: · She kept dropping hints about her birthday, just to make sure none of us forgot about it.· My mother dropped several hints about us wallpapering her sitting room.
if you say something in a roundabout way , you say it in an indirect way, especially to avoid offending or embarrassing someone: · I told him, in a roundabout way, that he wasn't really good enough to join my English class.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Our sales staff are there to give you helpful advice. Wagner calls his program ‘the worst talk show in America,’ without a hint of irony. There was just a touch of sarcasm in her voice. The dish had a subtle hint of ginger.
· I could detect the hint of a German accent in her voice.
(=a small amount in someone's eyes or voice)· Was there a hint of amusement in her voice?
(=a very small sign that someone feels an emotion)· I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes.
Our sales staff are there to give you helpful advice. Wagner calls his program ‘the worst talk show in America,’ without a hint of irony. (=an expression that shows someone wants to play tricks)· There was a glint of mischief in her eyes.
(=a very slight smell of perfume)· As she lifted the letter, she caught the faintest hint of perfume.
There was just a touch of sarcasm in her voice. (=the suggestion that someone may be involved in a scandal)· He vowed that no hint of scandal would ever be attached to him.
The dish had a subtle hint of ginger.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► broad hint
to suggest something in an indirect way, but so that someone can guess your meaning SYN implyhint at- I've dropped a few hints about what I want for my birthday.
- My mother dropped several hints about us wallpapering her sitting room.
- She kept dropping hints about her birthday, just to make sure none of us forgot about it.
- But sometimes, the trash drops a hint to a waiter.
- Little by little he dropped hints, but no details.
- Occasionally he dropped hints on this matter to Gina.
- They managed to see Maeda who dropped hints and told them to be circumspect.
What are you hinting at?hint (that) He hinted strongly that he might be prepared to send troops in.