Dinkum
/ˈdɪŋkəm/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Hard work. Australia, New-Zealand, obsolete, rare, slang, uncountable
- 2 Truth. Australia, New-Zealand, dated, slang, uncountable
"You look real jockey — thats' the dinkum."
Adjective
- 1 Genuine, true, honest, on the level. Australia, New-Zealand, slang
"Hon. Sir Ross McLarty: We were always dinkum. Mr. MAY: The ultimate result showed how dinkum the hon. member was."
Example
More examples"Hon. Sir Ross McLarty: We were always dinkum. Mr. MAY: The ultimate result showed how dinkum the hon. member was."
Etymology
Unknown. Earliest recorded use in the phrase fair dinkum in 1879, from Australia. Also recorded (slightly later) from Derbyshire and Lincolnshire dialect. Perhaps related to Gloucestershire dialect ding (“to work hard”).