chime

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃaɪm/
• Rhymes: -aɪm

From Middle English chime, chim, chimbe, chymbe, a shortening of chimbelle (misinterpreted as chymme-belle, chimbe-belle), from Old English ċimbala, ċimbal (“cymbal”), from Latin cymbalum.

chime (plural chimes)

1. (music) A musical instrument producing a sound when struck, similar to a bell (e.g. a tubular metal bar) or actually a bell. Often used in the plural to refer to the set: the chimes.

   Sylvia had a recording of someone playing the chimes against a background of surf noise that she found calming.

   Hugo was a chime player in the school orchestra.

2. An individual ringing component of such a set.

   Peter removed the C♯ chime from its mounting so that he could get at the dust that had accumulated underneath.

3. A small bell or other ringing or tone-making device as a component of some other device.

   The professor had stuffed a wad of gum into the chime of his doorbell so that he wouldn't be bothered.

4. The sound of such an instrument or device.

   The copier gave a chime to indicate that it had finished printing.

5. A small hammer or other device used to strike a bell.

   Strike the bell with the brass chime hanging on the chain next to it.

• chimist
• clock chime

chime (third-person singular simple present chimes, present participle chiming, simple past and past participle chimed)

1. (intransitive) To make the sound of a chime.

   The microwave chimed to indicate that it was done cooking.

   I got up for lunch as soon as the wall clock began chiming noon.

2. (transitive) To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony.
   • Dryden

     And chime their sounding hammers.

3. (transitive) To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically.
   • Byron

     Chime his childish verse.

4. (intransitive) To agree; to correspond.

   The other lab's results chimed with mine, so I knew we were on the right track with the research.

   • Washington Irving

     Everything chimed in with such a humor.

5. To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Cowley to this entry?)

• chime in, chime up

See chimb.

chime (plural chimes)

1. A chine; the edge of a cask.

• Chiem, chemi-, hemic

chime m

1. Lenited form of cime.