fink
/finɳk/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- An informer or decoy for the police: A person who secretly provides information about someone's activities to the authorities.
- A strikebreaker or scab: A person who continues to work or who takes the place of a worker who is on strike, thereby undermining the strike action.
- A contemptible or unpleasant person: (Slang) A general term for a person who is considered despicable or untrustworthy.
Verb:
- To inform on someone to the authorities: To act as an informer; to betray someone by revealing secret information.
- To fail to keep a promise or to back out of an agreement: (Slang) To renege on a commitment, especially in a cowardly or dishonorable way.
- To take the place of a striking worker: To act as a strikebreaker.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- He was labeled a fink after he told the police about the plan.
- The union members were furious at the finks who crossed the picket line.
- Don't trust him; he's a total fink.
Verb:
- He finked on his partners to get a lighter sentence.
- You said you'd help, but you finked out at the last minute!
- The company hired temporary workers to fink during the strike.
Advanced Usage
"to fink on (someone)": To inform against or betray someone.
- She was afraid her roommate would fink on her to the landlord.
"to fink out": To fail to do something promised; to back out cowardly.
- He finked out of the bet when he realized he might lose.
Variants and Related Words
- Strikebreaker (n): A more formal term for a person who works during a strike.
- Scab (n): A strongly derogatory slang synonym for a strikebreaker.
- Informer (n): A neutral term for a person who provides information.
- Snitch (n/v): A close synonym for an informer or the act of informing.
Synonyms
- Noun (informer): Informant, snitch, rat, stool pigeon.
- Noun (strikebreaker): Scab, blackleg.
- Verb (to inform): Snitch, rat, tell on, betray.
- Verb (to back out): Chicken out, renege, withdraw.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Fink on: To inform against someone.
- He finked on the whole gang to the police.
- Fink out: To fail to participate or fulfill a promise.
- Half the team finked out, so we had to cancel the game.
Related Idioms
- No specific common idioms center solely on "fink," but the word is often used in contexts of betrayal and broken promises, as shown in the phrasal verbs above.
Noun
- someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
Verb
- confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
- take the place of work of someone on strike