chin

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The part of the face below the mouth.

   He rested his chin on his hands while he thought.

2. 2
   verb

   To do a chin-up, lifting your body up while hanging from a bar.

   He could chin himself six times in a row.

3. 3
   verb

   To punch someone, especially on the chin.

   He threatened to chin anyone who insulted him.

From Middle English chyn, from Old English ċinn (“chin”), from Proto-West Germanic *kinnu, from Proto-Germanic *kinnuz (“chin”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénus (“chin, jaw”). Compare West Frisian/Dutch kin, Low German/German Kinn, Danish kind, Icelandic kinn, Welsh gen, Latin gena, Tocharian A śanweṃ, Ancient Greek γένυς (génus, “jaw”), Armenian ծնոտ (cnot), Persian چانه (čâne), Sanskrit हनु (hánu). Doublet of gena.

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