Word Study
hint
CIDE DICTIONARY
hint, v. t. [OE. henten, hinten, to seize, to catch, AS. hentan to pursue, take, seize; or Icel. ymta to mutter, ymtr a muttering, Dan. ymte to whisper. Hent.].
To bring to mind by a slight mention or remote allusion; to suggest in an indirect manner; as, to hint a suspicion. [1913 Webster]
"Just hint a fault and hesitate dislike."
Syn. -- To suggest; intimate; insinuate; imply.
hint, v. i.
To make an indirect reference, suggestion, or allusion; to allude vaguely to something. [1913 Webster]
"We whisper, and hint, and chuckle." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- To allude; refer; glance; touch.
hint, n.
A remote allusion; slight mention; intimation; insinuation; a suggestion or reminder, without a full declaration or explanation; also, an occasion or motive. [1913 Webster]
"Our hint of woe
Is common." [1913 Webster]
Is common." [1913 Webster]
"The hint malevolent, the look oblique."
Syn. -- Suggestion; allusion. See Suggestion.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
hint, n. & v.
--n.
1 a slight or indirect indication or suggestion (took the hint and left).
2 a small piece of practical information (handy hints on cooking).
3 a very small trace; a suggestion (a hint of perfume).
--v.tr. (often foll. by that + clause) suggest slightly (hinted the contrary; hinted that they were wrong).
--n.
1 a slight or indirect indication or suggestion (took the hint and left).
2 a small piece of practical information (handy hints on cooking).
3 a very small trace; a suggestion (a hint of perfume).
--v.tr. (often foll. by that + clause) suggest slightly (hinted the contrary; hinted that they were wrong).
Idiom
hint at give a hint of; refer indirectly to.
Etymology
app. f. obs. hent grasp, lay hold of, f. OE hentan, f. Gmc, rel. to HUNT
THESAURUS
hint
admonishment, admonition, adumbrate, adumbration, advert, advice, aide-memoire, alarm, allegorize, allegory, allude, allude to, allusion, angle, arcane meaning, argue, assistance, assume, assumption, augur, bare suggestion, be indicative of, be significant of, be symptomatic of, beg, bespeak, betoken, bid fair, breath, bring to mind, broad hint, cast, catchword, caution, caveat, characterization, characterize, clue, coax, coloration, connotation, connote, cue, cue word, dash, denominate, denomination, denotation, denote, designation, deterrent example, differentiate, differentiation, direction, disclose, disclosure, display, divine, drop a hint, entail, evidence, example, express, expression, final notice, final warning, fingering, fish, flapper, foreshadow, foretoken, gentle hint, gesture, give a hint, give evidence, give prospect of, give the cue, give token, glance at, gleam, glimmer, glimmering, half an idea, hazy idea, help, highlight, hint at, hold out hope, hot lead, idea, identification, identify, implicate, implication, implied meaning, imply, import, importune, impression, index, indicate, indication, indicativeness, infer, inference, infusion, inkling, innuendo, insinuate, insinuation, inspiration, intimate, intimation, involve, ironic suggestion, jogger, key, key word, kick, lead, lesson, lick, look, make fair promise, make likely, manifest, manifestation, mark, mean, mean to say, meaning, memorandum, mention, mere notion, metaphorical sense, monition, moral, naming, nod, note, notice, notification, notion, nuance, nudge, object lesson, occult meaning, overtone, particle, picking out, plead, point indirectly to, point to, pointer, pointing, pointing out, pointing to, prefigure, preindicate, presign, presignal, presignify, press, presume, presumption, presuppose, presupposition, pretypify, promise, prompt, prompter, prompting, raise expectation, refer, remembrance, remembrancer, reminder, reveal, sauce, scent, scintilla, seasoning, seek, selection, shade, shadow, shadow forth, show, showing, sign, signal, signification, signify, sip, smack, smattering, smell, sneaking suspicion, solicit, soupcon, spark, specification, spell, spice, spoor, sprinkling, stand fair to, stand for, strain, streak, subsense, subsidiary sense, suggest, suggestion, sup, suppose, supposition, suspicion, symbolism, symptom, symptomaticness, symptomatize, symptomize, taint, take for granted, taste, telltale, tempering, testify, thought, threat, tickler, tinct, tincture, tinge, tint, tip, tip off, tip-off, token, touch, trace, track, trifle, twang, typify, ultimatum, undercurrent, undermeaning, undertone, vague idea, vein, verbum sapienti, vestige, warning, warning piece, whiff, whisper, wind, winkROGET THESAURUS
hint
Smallness
N smallness, littleness, tenuity, paucity, fewness, meanness, insignificance (unimportance), mediocrity, moderation, small quantity, modicum, trace, hint, minimum, vanishing point, material point, atom, particle, molecule, corpuscle, point, speck, dot, mote, jot, iota, ace, minutiae, details, look, thought, idea, soupcon, dab, dight, whit, tittle, shade, shadow, spark, scintilla, gleam, touch, cast, grain, scruple, granule, globule, minim, sup, sip, sop, spice, drop, droplet, sprinkling, dash, morceau, screed, smack, tinge, tincture, inch, patch, scantling, tatter, cantlet, flitter, gobbet, mite, bit, morsel, crumb, seed, fritter, shive, snip, snippet, snick, snack, snatch, slip, scrag, chip, chipping, shiver, sliver, driblet, clipping, paring, shaving, hair, nutshell, thimbleful, spoonful, handful, capful, mouthful, fragment, fraction, drop in the ocean, animalcule, trifle, mere nothing, next to nothing, hardly anything, just enough to swear by, the shadow of a shade, finiteness, finite quantity, small, little, diminutive, minute, fine, inconsiderable, paltry, faint, slender, light, slight, scanty, scant, limited, meager, sparing, few, low, so-so, middling, tolerable, no great shakes, below par, under par, below the mark, at a low ebb, halfway, moderate, modest, tender, subtle, inappreciable, evanescent, infinitesimal, homeopathic, very small, atomic, corpuscular, microscopic, molecular, subatomic, mere, simple, sheer, stark, bare, near run, dull, petty, shallow, stolid, ungifted, unintelligent, to a small extent, on a small scale, a little bit, a wee bit, slightly, imperceptibly, miserably, wretchedly, insufficiently, imperfectly, faintly, passably, pretty well, well enough, partially, in part, in a certain degree, to a certain degree, to a certain extent, comparatively, some, rather in some degree, in some measure, something, somewhat, simply, only, purely, merely, at least, at the least, at most, at the most, ever so little, as little as may be, tant soit peu, in ever so small a degree, thus far, pro tanto, within bounds, in a manner, after a fashion, so to speak, almost, nearly, well-nigh, short of, not quite, all but, near upon, close upon, peu s'en faut, near the mark, within an ace of, within an inch of, on the brink of, scarcely, hardly, barely, only just, no more than, about, thereabouts, somewhere about, nearly, say, be the same, be little more or less, no ways, no way, no wise, not at all, not in the least, not a bit, not a bit of it, not a whit, not a jot, not a shadow, in no wise, in no respect, by no means, by no manner of means, on no account, at no hand, dare pondus idonea fumo, magno conatu magnas nugas, small sands the mountain, moments make the year.Memory
N memory, remembrance, retention, retentiveness, tenacity, veteris vestigia flammae, tablets of the memory, readiness, reminiscence, recognition, recollection, rememoration, recurrence, flashback, retrospect, retrospection, afterthought, post script, PS, suggestion, prompting, hint, reminder, remembrancer, flapper, memorial, commemoration, note, memo, memorandum, things to be remembered, token of remembrance, memento, souvenir, keepsake, relic, memorabilia, art of memory, artificial memory, memoria technica, mnemonics, mnemotechnics, phrenotypics, Mnemosyne, prompt-book, crib sheet, cheat sheet, retentive memory, tenacious memory, photographic memory, green memory, trustworthy memory, capacious memory, faithful memory, correct memory, exact memory, ready memory, prompt memory, accurate recollection, perfect memory, total recall, celebrity, fame, renown, reputation, remembering, remembered, mindful, reminiscential, retained in the memory, pent up in one's memory, fresh, green, green in remembrance, unforgotten, present to the mind, within one's memory, indelible, uppermost in one's thoughts, memorable, by heart, by rote, without book, memoriter, in memory of, in memoriam, memoria in aeterna, suggestive, manet alta mente repostum, forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit, absens haeres non erit, beatae memoriae, briefly thyself remember, mendacem memorem esse oportet, memory the warder of the brain, parsque est meminisse doloris, to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die, vox audita peril littera scripta manet, out of sight, out of mind.Supposition
N supposition, assumption, assumed position, postulation, condition, presupposition, hypothesis, blue sky hypothesis, postulate, postulatum, theory, thesis, theorem, data, proposition, position, proposal, presumption, divination, conjecture, guess, guesswork, speculation, rough guess, shot, shot in the dark, conjecturality, surmise, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, estimate, approximation (nearness), inkling, suggestion, hint, intimation, notion, impression, bare supposition, vague supposition, loose supposition, loose suggestion, association of ideas, (analogy), metonym, metonymy, simile (metaphor), conceit, idea, thought, original idea, invention (imagination), supposing, given, mooted, postulatory, assumed, supposititious, suppositive, suppositious, gratuitous, speculative, conjectural, hypothetical, theoretical, academic, supposable, presumptive, putative, suppositional, suggestive, allusive, if, if so be, an, on the supposition, ex hypothesi, in the case, in the event of, quasi, as if, provided, perhaps, for aught one knows.VB suppose, conjecture, surmise, suspect, guess, divine, theorize, presume, presurmise, presuppose, assume, fancy, wis, take it, give a guess, speculate, believe, dare say, take it into one's head, take for granted, imagine, put forth, propound, propose, start, put a case, submit, move, make a motion, hazard out, throw out a suggestion, put forward a suggestion, put forward conjecture, allude to, suggest, hint, put it into one's head, suggest itself, run in the head, marvel if, wonder if, wonder whether.
Information
N information, enlightenment, acquaintance, knowledge, publicity, data, communication, intimation, notice, notification, enunciation, annunciation, announcement, communiqu_e, representation, round robin, presentment, case, estimate, specification, report, advice, monition, news, return, account, statement, mention, acquainting, instruction, outpouring, intercommunication, communicativeness, informant, authority, teller, intelligencer, reporter, exponent, mouthpiece, informer, eavesdropper, delator, detective, sleuth, mouchard, spy, newsmonger, messenger, amicus curiae, valet de place, cicerone, pilot, guide, guidebook, handbook, vade mecum, manual, map, plan, chart, gazetteer, itinerary, hint, suggestion, innuendo, inkling, whisper, passing word, word in the ear, subaudition, cue, byplay, gesture, gentle hint, broad hint, verbum sapienti, a word to the wise, insinuation, information theory, bit, byte, word, doubleword, quad word, paragraph, segment, magnetic media, paper medium, optical media, random access memory, RAM, read-only memory, ROM, write once read mostly memory, WORM, informed, communique, reported, published, expressive, explicit plain spoken, (artless), nuncupative, nuncupatory, declaratory, expository, enunciative, communicative, communicatory, from information received, a little bird told me, I heard it through the grapevine.VB tell, inform, inform of, acquaint, acquaint with, impart, impart to, make acquaintance with, apprise, advise, enlighten, awaken, transmit, let fall, mention, express, intimate, represent, communicate, make known, publish, notify, signify, specify, convey the knowledge of, let one know, have one to know, give one to understand, give notice, set before, lay before, put before, point out, put into one's head, put one in possession of, instruct, direct the attention to, announce, annunciate, report, report progress, bringword, send word, leave word, write word, telegraph, telephone, wire, retail, render an account, give an account, state, let slip, blurt out, spill the beans, unburden oneself of, let off one's chest, disclose, show cause, explain, hint, given an inkling of, give a hint, drop a hint, throw out a hint, insinuate, allude to, make allusion to, glance at, tip the wink, suggest, prompt, give the cue, breathe, whisper, whisper in the ear, give a bit of one's mind, tell one plainly, tell once for all, speak volumes, undeceive, unbeguile, set right, correct, open the eyes of, disabuse, disillusion one of, be informed of, know, learn, get scent of, get wind of, gather from, awaken to, open one's eyes to, become alive, become awake to, hear, overhear, understand, come to one's ears, come to one's knowledge, reach one's ears.
Indication
N indication, symbolism, symbolization, semiology, semiotics, semeiology, semeiotics, Zeitgeist, characteristic, diagnostic, lineament, feature, trait, fingerprint, voiceprint, footprint, noseprint, cloven hoof, footfall, recognition (memory), diagnostic, divining rod, detector, sign, symbol, index, indice, indicator, point, pointer, exponent, note, token, symptom, dollar sign, dollar mark, type, figure, emblem, cipher, device, representation, epigraph, motto, posy, gesture, gesticulation, pantomime, wink, glance, leer, nod, shrug, beck, touch, nudge, dactylology, dactylonomy, freemasonry, telegraphy, chirology, byplay, dumb show, cue, hint, clue, clew, key, scent, signal, signal post, rocket, blue light, watch fire, watch tower, telegraph, semaphore, flagstaff, cresset, fiery cross, calumet, heliograph, guidon, headlight, mark, scratch, line, stroke, dash, score, stripe, streak, tick, dot, point, notch, nick, print, imprint, impress, impression, keyboard symbols, printing symbols, red letter, italics, sublineation, underlining, bold font, jotting, note, annotation, reference, blaze, cedilla, guillemets, hachure, quotation marks, ", double quotes, " ", parentheses, "( )", brackets, "", braces, "", left arrow, "<", right arrow, ">", forward slash, "/", backward slash, "\", exclamation point, "!", commercial at, "@", pound sign, "#", percent sign, "%", carat, "", ampersand, "&", asterisk, "*", hyphen, "-", dash, "-", "_", em dash, "--", plus sign, "+", equals sign, "=", question mark, "?", period, ", ", semicolon, ", ", colon, ":", comma, ", ", apostrophe, "'", single quote, "'", tilde, "~", badge, criterion, countercheck, countermark, countersign, counterfoil, duplicate, tally, label, ticket, billet, letter, counter, check, chip, chop, dib, totem, tessera, card, bill, witness, voucher, stamp, cacher, trade mark, Hall mark, signature, mark, autograph, autography, attestation, hand, hand writing, sign manual, cipher, seal, sigil, signet, hand and seal, paraph, brand, superscription, indorsement, endorsement, password, watchword, catchword, security card, pass, passkey, credentials, open sesame, timbrology, mot de passe, mot du guet, pass-parole, shibboleth, title, heading, docket, address card, visiting card, carte de visite, insignia, banner, banneret, bannerol, bandrol, flag, colors, streamer, standard, eagle, labarum, oriflamb, oriflamme, figurehead, ensign, pennon, pennant, pendant, burgee, blue Peter, jack, ancient, gonfalon, union jack, banderole, old glory, quarantine flag, vexillum, yellow-flag, yellow jack, tricolor, stars and stripes, bunting, heraldry, crest, coat of arms, arms, armorial bearings, hatchment, escutcheon, scutcheon, shield, supporters, livery, uniform, cockade, epaulet, chevron, garland, love knot, favor, beacon, cairn, post, staff, flagstaff, hand, pointer, vane, cock, weathercock, guidepost, handpost, fingerpost, directing post, signpost, pillars of Hercules, pharos, bale-fire, beacon-fire, l'etoile du Nord, landmark, seamark, lighthouse, balize, polestar, loadstar, lodestar, cynosure, guide, address, direction, name, sign, signboard, warning, omen, prefigurement, trace, record, warning &c, alarm, scepter, trophy, gauge, milestone, milepost, brand, fool's cap, check, telltale, test, mileage ticket, milliary, notification, advertisement, word of command, call, bugle call, trumpet call, bell, alarum, cry, battle cry, rallying cry, angelus, reveille, sacring bell, sanctus bell, exposition &c (explanation), proof, pattern, indicating, indicative, indicatory, denotative, connotative, diacritical, representative, typical, symbolic, pantomimic, pathognomonic, symptomatic, characteristic, demonstrative, diagnostic, exponential, emblematic, armorial, individual, known by, recognizable by, indicated, pointed, marked, denotable, indelible, in token of, symbolically, in dumb show, ecce signum, ex ungue leonem, ex pede Herculem, vide ut supra, vultus ariete fortior.For further exploring for "hint" in Webster Dictionary Online