jink
/dʒɪŋk
/verb [no object]
Change direction suddenly and nimbly, as when dodging a pursuer: she was too quick for him and jinked away every time...
- This was Ja Fallon at his best again, jinking and dodging and dicating the play, setting up attacks in waves.
- Everywhere I saw helicopters jukeing and jinking, ducking and dodging.
- Desperately keeping himself in the air, Cecil jinked around to dodge the other shockwaves that Ralph threw out at him while he recovered from the first blow.
noun
A sudden quick change of direction: people remember him for his runs on the wing, his jinks...
- While Johnstone's many jinks included that drunken-sailor routine off the coast of Largs, his body double prefers to use a rowing boat for more respectable reasons.
- High jinks and fast-moving action prove another winning combination for Bad Boy cops Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in this long-awaited sequel.
- Admittedly, the tackling was suspect, but the searing pace and impossible jinks demonstrated by the winger would cause problems for any defence.
Origin
Late 17th century (originally Scots as high jinks, denoting antics at drinking parties): probably symbolic of nimble motion. Current senses date from the 18th century.
This was originally Scots in the phrase high jinks referring to antics at drinking parties. These usually consisted of throwing dice to decide who should perform a silly task to amuse the others in the company, or who should drink a large draught of alcohol; a forfeit was involved. The word is probably symbolic of nimble motion. Current senses associated with a sudden change in direction date from the 18th century.