From Middle English chymbe, chyme, probably from Old Northern French chimbe (“cymbal”), a back-formation from chimble, cimble, from Latin cymbalum; perhaps reinforced by a misinterpretation of a Middle English *chymbele (from Old English ċimbala, ċimbal (“cymbal”)) as chymbe belle.
Meanings
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 was a chime player in the school orchestra.
Hugo had a recording of someone playing the chimes against a background of surf noise that she found calming.
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.
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.
The sound of such an instrument or device.
The copier gave a chime to indicate that it had finished printing.
Chimes sing Sunday morn.
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.
ru колоко́льчик (ringing or tone-making component of a device) · bg камбанен звън (sound made by a chime) · bg камбанка (individual component thereof) · nl klok (musical instrument) · hu harangszó (sound made by a chime) · fi malletti (hammer or device to strike a bell) · fi kellopeli (musical instrument) · ru колоко́льчик (individual component thereof) · ja 鐘 (musical instrument) · es campanilla (ringing or tone-making component of a device) · de Glocke (musical instrument) · fi kellot (sound made by a chime) · es repique (sound made by a chime) · hu harang (individual component thereof) · fi kellot (musical instrument) · ru колоко́льчики (musical instrument) · hu csengő (ringing or tone-making component of a device) · ru молото́к (hammer or device to strike a bell) · hu harangjáték (musical instrument) · mk ѕвон (sound made by a chime) · ja チャイム (sound made by a chime) · ru звоно́к (ringing or tone-making component of a device) · hu csengő (individual component thereof) · fi putkikellot (musical instrument) · hu csengőszó (sound made by a chime) · hu harang (ringing or tone-making component of a device) · ru звоно́к (sound made by a chime) · ru звон (sound made by a chime) · fr carillon (musical instrument) · bg камбанки (musical instrument) · es campanada (sound made by a chime) · fi kello (individual component thereof) · fi merkkiääni (sound made by a chime) · fi kellonsoitto (sound made by a chime) · fi soittokello (ringing or tone-making component of a device) · hu ütő (hammer or device to strike a bell) · da klokke (musical instrument)
From Middle English chymbe, chyme, probably from Old Northern French chimbe (“cymbal”), a back-formation from chimble, cimble, from Latin cymbalum; perhaps reinforced by a misinterpretation of a Middle English *chymbele (from Old English ċimbala, ċimbal (“cymbal”)) as chymbe belle.
Meanings
(intransitive) To make the sound of a chime.
I got up for lunch as soon as the wall clock began chiming noon.
The microwave chimed to indicate that it was done cooking.
An interesting feature of the church is the invisible clock, which you can hear thumping away as you enter. Constructed in 1525, it is one of the oldest timepieces in England. It chimes the hours and the quarters, and every three hours it plays a hymn. But it has no faces. 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 163:
(transitive) To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony.
And chime their sounding hammers. 1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(transitive) To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically.
Chime his childish verse. 1809, Lord Byron, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers:
(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.
Everything chimed in with such a humor. 1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], Tales of a Traveller, (please specify |part=1 to 4), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC:
To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming.
It shall not keep one settled pace of time,
In the same tune it shall not always chime a. 1667, Abraham Cowley, Ode Upon Liberty:
fi soida (to make the sound of a chime) · vi rung (to make the sound of a chime) · es tañer (to make the sound of a chime) · sv ringa (to make the sound of a chime) · hu pittyeg (to make the sound of a chime) · fr carillonner (to make the sound of a chime) · da kime (to make the sound of a chime) · hu egybevág (to agree, correspond) · hy շառաչել (to make the sound of a chime) · ru соотве́тствовать (to agree, correspond) · hu szól (to make the sound of a chime) · bg хармонирам (to agree, correspond) · bg звъня (to make the sound of a chime) · mi tangi (to make the sound of a chime) · ota چاكلامق (to make the sound of a chime) · ru звене́ть (to make the sound of a chime) · pt combinar (to agree, correspond) · hu összhangban van (to agree, correspond) · bg звънтя (to make the sound of a chime) · ca coincidir (to agree, correspond) · fi soida (to make a rude correspondence of sounds) · ru звони́ть (to make the sound of a chime) · hu cseng (to make the sound of a chime) · de läuten (to make the sound of a chime) · sv klämta (to make the sound of a chime) · es coincidir (to agree, correspond) · nl luiden (to make the sound of a chime) · nl overeenstemmen (to agree, correspond) · de übereinstimmen (to agree, correspond) · vi kêu (to make the sound of a chime) · fi kaikua (to make a rude correspondence of sounds) · ca tocar (to make the sound of a chime) · hu megszólal (to make the sound of a chime) · ca repicar (to make the sound of a chime) · cho ola (to make the sound of a chime) · da ringe (to make the sound of a chime) · fi soittaa (to cause to sound in harmony) · fi sopia yhteen (to agree, correspond) · hu csörög (to make the sound of a chime) · nl stroken (to agree, correspond) · hu egyezik (to agree, correspond)
The chime, or smooth curved surface of the cask, is produced by a dexterous use of the adze. 1861, The English Cyclopædia: A New Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, page 185:
Instead of rolling the barrel on the chime, it is a common practice to lay it on its side and give it a push. 1928, Gerald Arthur FitzGerald, Containers and Packages Used in Shipping Shucked Oysters:
Let the chimes meet so that the chime of one cask shall not work into the head of the next. 1859, Robert White Stevens, On the stowage of ships and their cargoes, page 59: