sinker

/'siɳkə/

Thân thiện

The pitcher threw a perfect sinker that dropped below the batter's swing.

Definition

Noun: 1. A weight used to sink something: A heavy object, typically made of lead or another dense material, attached to a fishing line or net to make it sink and stay underwater. 2. A type of pitch in baseball: A fast pitch that drops or curves sharply downward as it reaches the batter. 3. A type of doughnut: (Chiefly US) A small, ring-shaped, deep-fried cake, often glazed.

Usage and Examples

• As a weight:
  • The angler attached a heavy sinker to his line to reach the deep water.
  • The fishing net was held in place by sinkers along its bottom edge.
• In baseball:
  • The pitcher's best pitch is a devastating sinker that batters often hit into the ground.
  • He threw a sinker on a 3-2 count, inducing an easy double play.
• As a food:
  • We stopped at the bakery for coffee and a couple of sinkers. (This usage is informal/regional.)

Advanced Usage and Idioms

• Hook, line, and sinker: An idiom meaning "completely" or "without any doubt or reservation," often used when someone believes a lie or story entirely.
  • He told a fantastic story, and she believed it hook, line, and sinker.
  • The marketing campaign was so convincing that investors fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Variants and Related Words

• Sink (verb): The action from which "sinker" is derived, meaning to descend or cause to descend below the surface of a liquid.
• Lead (noun): A common material used to make sinkers (e.g., ).
• Doughnut / Donut (noun): The more common general term for the fried cake; "sinker" is a colloquial synonym.

Synonyms

• For the weight: plummet, weight.
• For the pitch: sinking fastball, two-seam fastball (a specific type that often sinks).
• For the food: doughnut, donut (standard terms).

Notes on Different Meanings

The three primary meanings of "sinker" are distinct and belong to different contexts (fishing, sports, and food). The word's core concept relates to the verb "sink": a weight sinks a line, a pitch sinks as it approaches, and the dense, fried cake is humorously thought to be heavy enough to sink. The idiom hook, line, and sinker originates from fishing, implying that the fish was so thoroughly caught that it swallowed not just the hook but the entire tackle.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a pitch that curves downward rapidly as it approaches the plate
2. a weight that sinks (as to hold nets or fishing lines under water)
3. a small ring-shaped friedcake

Từ đồng nghĩa

• doughnut
• donut