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to be a dink

to be a dink

9.9
To behave in a rude or foolish way that annoys other people
  • phrasal verb
  • Offensive
translation icon : ser idiota
  • She told him not to be a dink about losing the game.

Examples

  • Please don’t be a dink; cooperate with the rest of the team.

  • Don't be a dink at the party!

  • If you be a dink at the party, people won’t want to invite you again.

  • Why do you always be a dink when we hang out?

  • Please don’t be a dink; just listen to everyone's opinion and contribute positively.

  • If you continue to be a dink during meetings, your coworkers will start to avoid you.

  • He tends to be a dink when he's tired, making it hard for everyone to enjoy the evening.

Synonyms

to be silly
vsto be a dink
88 2.1

Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously

is less playful and more about irritating behaviour
to act a fool
vsto be a dink
  • Informal
3 8.0

To behave in a silly or embarrassing way to get attention

is not mainly for amusement but for annoying conduct
to be a buffoon
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
2 8.1

To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh

is less about show and more about simple irritation
to be a dolt
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
1 9.4

Act in a foolish way and ignore good advice

is more about being annoying than simply slow thinking
to be a dickwad
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Act in a rude, foolish way that annoys or upsets other people

is less intended to provoke anger and more just foolish
to be a berk
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To act in a foolish way

is less bluntly insulting and more about irritation
to beclown
vsto be a dink
1 9.9

To make yourself look foolish by doing or saying silly things

is more often used for annoying behaviour than pure ridicule
to be a tosser
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To behave in a rude, stupid way

is less insulting and more about simple annoyance
to be such an arse
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To act rudely and annoy other people

is less strongly objectionable and more simply foolish
to play silly buggers
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Act in a foolish, annoying way instead of being serious

is less playful and more about straightforward irritation
to act like an assmunch
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people

is milder in tone and less openly rude
to be a choad
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To act in a rude, annoying way that other people dislike

is more about simple foolishness than deliberate nastiness
to be a nobber
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a silly and annoying way

is not mainly about rudeness but general irritation
to acting like an assbutt
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a rude and annoying way

is usually milder and less clearly offensive
to act like an asshat
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Behave in a rude and stupid way

is milder and less openly contemptuous
to act like an arseface
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a rude and annoying way

is more about mild irritation than clear rudeness
to act like a dickface
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave very rudely and make other people angry or upset

is less strongly rude and more merely irritating
to act like a douchecanoe
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Behave rudely and selfishly and annoy other people

is milder and less intensely aggravating
to act like a total fucktwat
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Behave in a very rude and thoughtless way that upsets other people

is not as extreme or highly offensive in tone
to act like a fuckskull
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a very foolish and rude way

is less insulting and focuses on mere foolish conduct
to be a chutiya
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a stupid and rude way

is more about annoying manners than mere carelessness
to act like a dingus
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a foolish, clumsy way that makes people laugh

focuses more on causing irritation than on clumsiness
to act like a dipstick
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave foolishly or clumsily

is about annoying or irritating actions rather than clumsiness
to act like a clodpole
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a foolish and clumsy way

is more centred on causing irritation than on clumsiness
to act like a doylem
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Behave in a silly, clumsy way

is used for irritating acts not only for clumsy mistakes
to be a numskull
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.5

To do something silly without thinking

is more about annoying manner than mere thoughtlessness
to be a nerk
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To do silly things that make problems for yourself

is about irritating behaviour rather than mere ineffectiveness
to be a booby
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a silly or stupid way

is more about annoying or irritating conduct than harmless silliness
to be a nimrod
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a foolish, clumsy way

is more about causing irritation than lacking skill
to act like a ditz
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.6

Behave in a silly, careless way to avoid serious talk

is more about being annoying than simply scatterbrained
to be a wally
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a silly, embarrassing way

is more about annoying others than mere embarrassment
to act like a buffoon
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
6.8

Behave in a silly, clumsy way to make people laugh at you

is used for general annoyance rather than staged antics
to act like a dorkus
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish

is more about irritation than gentle awkwardness
to act like a dingleberry
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a silly or annoying way

is used for broader irritating actions than tiny faults
to act like a horse's ass
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave rudely and foolishly in a way that annoys or embarrasses people

is less about rudeness and more about mere annoyance
to be a churl
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a rude, unkind way toward other people

is less about rudeness and more about foolish annoyance
to act like a churl
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To treat other people rudely and think only about yourself

is generally less rude and more merely foolish
to act like a tosser
vsto be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave rudely or foolishly in a way that annoys others

is more about mild foolishness rather than clear poor judgment
to piffle
vsto be a dink
  • Informal
9.9

To talk or act in a silly, unimportant way

is more about annoying behaviour than mere triviality

Antonyms

112 2.3

To act with good sense and careful thought

15 3.7

In a way that shows good judgment and practical choices

How Irritating

insufferable
26 7.5
irritating
80 2.9
to be a dink
  • Offensive
9.9
nuisance
62 3.6

Surface Forms

be a dink infinitive
was a dink past
been a dink past participle
being a dink present participle
dinks third person singular

Morphology

be + a + dink

The phrase is fully compositional: 'be' + 'a' + noun ('dink' = an annoying/stupid person) yields the meaning 'to be (act like) such a person', so a learner who knows the constituent words can derive the sense. Although 'dink' is slang, the syntactic pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, making the overall MWE predictable to a B1 learner who knows the parts.

Etymology

Be a dink comes from the informal word dink, used for someone small and annoying. Imagine a person doing silly, annoying things that bother others—so to be a dink means 'to act in a foolish or irritating manner'.