fink

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/fɪŋk/
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Insulting slang for a snitch, informer, strikebreaker, or disloyal person, and for the act of telling on someone.

Examples

  • She was branded a fink for telling the principal.
  • The gang suspected that a fink had talked to the police.
  • Nobody wanted to be known as the office fink.
  • She promised she would not fink on the team.
  • The story turns the quiet neighbor into a suspected fink.

Similar words

tattle
informer
strikebreaker
rat
report
snitch
stool pigeon
betray
inform
tattletale

Meanings

Informer or disliked betrayer

noun
everyday
slang
A contemptuous name for someone who informs on others, betrays a group, or is seen as disloyal.

Examples

  • Nobody wanted to be known as the office fink.
  • The gang suspected that a fink had talked to the police.
  • Union workers called him a fink after he crossed the picket line.
  • She was branded a fink for telling the principal.
  • The story turns the quiet neighbor into a suspected fink.

Similar words

Inform on someone

verb
everyday
slang
To reveal someone's secret or wrongdoing, especially to an authority, in a way that feels disloyal.

Examples

  • He finked on his friends to avoid punishment.
  • Someone finked to the manager about the missing cash.
  • She promised she would not fink on the team.
  • They accused him of finking to the police.
  • The witness finked after the deal fell apart.

Similar words

Etymology

Origin uncertain, but usually compared with German Fink, literally "finch" and also used in pejorative compounds, or with German student slang for someone outside a student association.

FAQ

What does fink mean?

Fink is insulting slang for a snitch, informer, strikebreaker, or disloyal person.

Is fink a rude word?

Fink is not obscene, but it is insulting and usually shows contempt.

Can fink be a verb?

Yes. To fink means to tell on someone or reveal information to an authority.

What does fink on someone mean?

Fink on someone means to inform against that person or betray their secret.

Is fink the same as snitch?

Fink and snitch are close, but fink can also suggest a strikebreaker or generally contemptible person.

What is the difference between fink and finch?

Fink is slang for an informer or betrayer, while finch is a small bird.

Where does fink come from?

The origin is uncertain, but it is often linked with German Fink, meaning finch and used in pejorative expressions.

Is fink formal English?

No. Fink is informal slang and is usually avoided in formal writing.

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