Definition

1. 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.

2. 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

1. someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police

Verb

1. confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
2. take the place of work of someone on strike