🃏 A card game 👋 To hit lightly 🔔 A metallic sound 🏆 To defeat easily

to tonk

9.9

To hit something lightly and make a soft sound

verb
/tɔŋk/

: dar un golpecito

She tonked the glass with her spoon to get everyone's attention.

Examples

The child tonked the toy car against the table, making a soft sound.
He tonked the door shut before leaving the room.
He tonked the door lightly.
Don't tonk your sister's toy too hard!
She tonked the glass with her spoon to get everyone's attention.
The child tonked the toy car against the table, making a soft sound.
He tonked the door shut before leaving the room.

Synonyms

to clink

vsto tonk

16 5.1

To make a short, sharp sound by hitting glass or metal together

is the same light hit action but not limited to metal or glass sounds

to tinkle

vsto tonk

15 3.9

To make a light clear ringing sound like a small bell

is a light physical knock that may or may not ring clearly

to tock

vsto tonk

14 6.0

To make a short sharp sound like a clock

is a light knock that can also make brief sounds, not only ticks

to bonk

vsto tonk

Informal

5 7.6

To hit a person or thing lightly, often by accident

is a neutral light strike rather than playful or accidental

to doke

vsto tonk

1 9.9

To make a small dent or bump in something by hitting it lightly

focuses on the light hit and its sound rather than causing a dent

to chink

vsto tonk

1 7.7

To make a short high ringing sound like small metal pieces hitting

is a light knock focusing on impact rather than high ringing tones

to tink

vsto tonk

1 9.5

To make a short high ringing sound like a small bell

describes the light knocking action rather than bell-like ringing tones

to tuk

vsto tonk

9.9

To give a short, light knock on something

is the general light hit action often producing a sound

Phrasal Verbs

to play tonk

9.9

Take part in the card game tonk

Compounds

honky-tonk

8 9.4

A cheap bar with country music where people dance

tinkety-tonk

9.9

A light cheerful sound like small bells or a music box

How Hard

to smash

311 2.1

to thump

27 3.4

knock

32 1.0

to tonk

9.9

to tap

174 1.0

Surface Forms

tonk infinitive

tonked past

tonked past participle

tonking present participle

tonks third person singular

Etymology

The verb tonk for a light hit comes from the small 'tonk' noise you make when you tap something, like touching a glass with a spoon. That's why to 'tonk' a door or toy is to hit it lightly and make a soft sound.