English
Etymology
Probably derived from obsolete Sc. word hink, from OE. inca, doubt. Possibly from hank,a loop or coil or, fig., anything that curbs or restrains.
Adjective
en-adj|hinkier|hinkiest|more
- Acting suspiciously; strange, unusual; acting in a manner as if having something to hide, or seemingly crooked.
#*1990 Oct 3: Kurt Guntheroth, Re: Market selling under highest bid?, <tt>misc.invest</tt>, 1
#*:There's nothing hinky about this.
#*1995 Sep 26: Richard Steven Walz, Re: Odd etching chemistry; was: Re: Does dry ice fog hurt electronics?, <tt>sci.electronics</tt>, 2
#*:And I don't know if that copper reaction you teased me with for H2CO3? would run that direction, would it? Looks hinky.
#*2000 w:Carl Hiaasen|Carl Hiaasen, w:Sick Puppy|Sick Puppy, p. 101
#*:Given the hinky events of the past twenty-four hours, he had come to suspect that his own unhappy spouse had conspired in the defacing of his prize taxidermy, the trashing of the red BMW, and even the infesting of his luxury sport-utility vehicle with shit-eating insects.
#*2004 Bruce Schneier qt. Diana Dean, Boston Globe (2004)
#*:A US customs agent, Diana Dean, questioned him at the border. He was fidgeting, sweaty, and jittery. He avoided eye contact. In Dean's own words, he was acting "hinky." Ressam's car was eventually searched, and he was arrested.
#*2006 Dec 06: Hester Mofet, Re: Tip in '95 Disappearance of TV Anchor Jodi Huisentruit Doesn't Yield Much, <tt>alt.true-crime</tt>, 3
#*:There's something hinky about this whole thing.
- Suspicious (of something)
#*1993 Aug 20: Dave Ratcliffe, Re: Long Trips With Cats, <tt>rec.pets.cats</tt>, 4
#*:I think they get hinky if everything is shaking around and they can't see much.
#*1995 Jun 23: Rosco Benson, Re: HP Browning Mag safety, remove it?, <tt>rec.guns</tt>, 5
#*:Lots of folks are hinky about removing ANY "safety" feature from a firearm.
#*1999 Mar 14: Trn0, Re: HELP w/ taking a knife to another country (TANZANIA), <tt>rec.knives</tt>, 6
#*:If the customs inspector gets hinky about letting them into the country, you can let him keep one as a gift.
#*2005 Feb 11: tiny dancer, Re: Pregnant Ky. Woman Kills Attacker, <tt>alt.true-crime</tt>, 7
#*:I was feeling a bit hinky about this one too.
- derogatory Weird; nonstandard.
#*1995 Feb 1: Gharlane of Eddore, Re: E2 is great SF, <tt>rec.arts.sf.tv</tt>, 8
#*:So either they've got a *really* hinky space drive, or they're just just plain fat-assed lard-brained idiots with delusions of competence.
#*1997 Mar 11: Karen J. Cravens, Re: WRITERS!, <tt>rec.games.frp.misc</tt>, 9
#*:Heck, I'd *much* rather the 68xxx architecture had caught on than Intel, with its hinky memory-handling.
#*2006 Jan 4: Andrew H. Wakefield, Got the lathe -- followup, <tt>rec.crafts.metalworking</tt>, 10
#*:The motor is rather hinky.
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