Ink

//ɪŋk// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A pigment (or dye)-based fluid used for writing, printing etc. uncountable, usually

    "This form should be filled out in ink."

  2. 2
    dark protective fluid ejected into the water by cuttlefish and other cephalopods wordnet
  3. 3
    A particular type, color or container of this fluid. countable, usually
  4. 4
    a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing wordnet
  5. 5
    The black or dark-colored fluid ejected by squid, octopus etc, as a protective strategy. uncountable, usually

    "Experimentally, some ink has been shown to be unpalatable to fish (Wood et al. 2010) and observationally, ink can also function as an attractant to predators to give cephalopods a bit more time to escape."

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    Publicity. slang, uncountable, usually

    "to get ink"

  2. 7
    Tattoo work. slang, uncountable, usually

    ""I saw it hanging on the wall of a tattoo hut where I went to get some ink done ten years ago," he stuttered, flushing in splotches and squirming in his chair."

  3. 8
    Cheap red wine. slang, uncountable, usually
Verb
  1. 1
    To apply ink to; to cover or smear with ink. transitive

    "A plain impression is obtained by pressing the bulb of the finger, with the plane of the nail parallel to the plane of the plate, on the inked plate and then on the paper in the same manner."

  2. 2
    fill with ink wordnet
  3. 3
    To sign (a contract or similar document). transitive

    "Before Musk, America’s space industry was moribund. In 2011, NASA mothballed the last space shuttle, after inking a deal with SpaceX to make uncrewed cargo resupply runs to the International Space Station (ISS)."

  4. 4
    mark, coat, cover, or stain with ink wordnet
  5. 5
    To apply a tattoo to (someone). transitive
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    append one's signature to wordnet
  2. 7
    to eject ink (sense 3) intransitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English ynke, from Old French enque, from Latin encaustum (“purple ink used by Roman emperors to sign documents”), from Ancient Greek ἔγκαυστον (énkauston, “burned-in”), from ἐν (en, “in”) + καίω (kaíō, “burn”). In this sense, displaced native Old English blæc (“ink”, literally “black”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English ynke, from Old French enque, from Latin encaustum (“purple ink used by Roman emperors to sign documents”), from Ancient Greek ἔγκαυστον (énkauston, “burned-in”), from ἐν (en, “in”) + καίω (kaíō, “burn”). In this sense, displaced native Old English blæc (“ink”, literally “black”).

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Want a quick game? Try Word Finder.