ding

A short, clear, high sound like a small bell ringing.

• We heard a ding.
• The elevator announced its arrival with a ding.
• A little ding tells you the food is ready.

Similar words: chime

Common phrases: loud ding, ding of something, little ding

A small damaged spot on a surface, caused by a hit.

• The door has a small ding.
• I found two dings on my bicycle.
• Can you repair this ding in the bumper?

How to use it: a ding in something (There is a ding in the car door.)

Similar words: dent, chip

Common phrases: small ding, ding in something, door ding

A refusal to accept someone, especially for a job or a place at a school.

• I got a ding from that college.
• Another ding arrived after my job interview.
• She received three dings before a school accepted her.

Similar words: rejection, refusal

Opposites: acceptance

Common phrases: ding letter, get a ding, another ding

Meat cut into small pieces, used in some Chinese dishes served in America.

• We ordered chicken ding.
• The shrimp ding came with rice.
• This restaurant serves almond chicken ding with vegetables.

Common phrases: chicken ding, shrimp ding, almond chicken ding

To take away points or charge someone money because of a mistake or a rule.

• They dinged me five dollars.
• The teacher dinged him for poor spelling.
• Will the bank ding us again for paying late?

How to use it: ding someone for something (The bank dinged me for a late payment.); ding someone an amount (The referee dinged us two points.)

Similar words: penalize

Common phrases: ding someone for something, ding someone points

To refuse to accept someone or to make them leave their job.

• The college dinged my application.
• His employer dinged him after repeated mistakes.
• Two schools dinged her, but the third offered her a place.

Similar words: reject, turn down, fire

Opposites: accept, hire

Common phrases: ding an applicant, ding someone

To hit someone or something.

• He dinged the metal with a hammer.
• A falling stone dinged him on the head.
• She raised her stick to ding the wooden post.

Similar words: hit, strike

Common phrases: ding someone, ding something hard

To throw something with great force.

• He dinged the stone to the ground.
• She dinged the cup against the wall in anger.
• The boy threatened to ding the rock into the river.

How to use it: ding something against something (He dinged the stone against the wall.)

Similar words: hurl, fling

Common phrases: ding something down, ding something against something