What does chinned mean?
Chinned is the past tense and past participle of the verb "chin," and it carries two main senses. In everyday informal speech, particularly British, it means to punch someone hard on the chin, often enough to knock them down; sports writers frequently report that a boxer "chinned" his opponent or that a fighter "got chinned." In gymnastics, climbing, and military fitness contexts, the word has a completely different meaning: to pull oneself upward using the arms until the chin rises level with or above a bar, ledge, or obstacle, as in "she chinned herself over the wall." The word derives simply from "chin," the body part at the front of the lower jaw, which comes from Old English "cinn." Because both senses involve the chin physically, they are easy to remember, though context makes clear whether a blow or an ascent is meant. Chinned remains colloquial rather than formal, giving writing a vivid, physical immediacy.
verbChinned is the past tense and past participle of the verb "chin," meaning to strike someone on the chin with a punch, or, in gymnastics and climbing, to raise oneself until the chin is level with or above a bar.
- To punch someone forcefully on the chin (informal, especially British).
- In gymnastics or climbing, to pull oneself up so that the chin reaches or rises above a bar or ledge.
- (Of a ball) To strike an object or person on the chin, as in cricket or football.
"The boxer chinned his opponent with a short right hook in the third round."
"He chinned the bully with a single blow outside the pub."
"She chinned herself over the top of the wall without breaking stride."
In boxing slang, saying a fighter "got chinned" is one of the most brutal ways to say he was knocked out cold.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chinned
Chinned comes directly from "chin," the noun for the protruding part of the lower jaw, which descends from Old English "cinn." The verb "to chin" developed by ordinary conversion from the noun, first in the sense of striking the jaw and later in the athletic sense of raising one's chin to a bar. The noun has ancient Germanic roots and is cognate with the Dutch "kin" and German "Kinn."
Related word forms
How chinned is actually used
Predominantly informal and conversational. The pugilistic sense ("he got chinned") is especially common in British sports journalism and slang, while the climbing sense appears in fitness and gymnastics contexts.
Easily confused with chinned
"Shinned" means to climb something using the legs and shins (or to hit someone in the shin), whereas "chinned" refers to striking the chin or pulling oneself up by the arms until the chin clears a bar.