inkling

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Audiendus
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inkling

Postby Audiendus » Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:44 am

Inkling (noun)

1. A slight hint, clue, indication or suggestion.
2. A slight knowledge or understanding, or vague idea.

Examples:
"Reading the summary will give you an inkling of what the book is about."
"They had no inkling of the dangers involved in crossing the ocean."

From Middle English inclen, "to hint", "to utter in an undertone".

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, however, it probably comes from Middle English ningkiling or nikking, from nik, "notch, tally", perhaps related to French niche.

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Slava
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Re: inkling

Postby Slava » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:20 pm

Great word, but it seems to me that the AHD is way off the mark. I don't get the association of the derivation to the current meaning.

Interestingly, inkling, though meaning a hint of something, has no connection with a stage cue.
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Perry Lassiter
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Re: inkling

Postby Perry Lassiter » Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:50 pm

Wasn't it at Cambridge that CS Lewis gathered a coffeeKlatch (teaKlatch) discussion group they named the Inklings?
pl

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call_copse
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Re: inkling

Postby call_copse » Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:44 am

Oxford, C S Lewis with Tolkien, amongst others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inklings
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