chime

UK: /ˈtʃaɪm/ US: /tʃaɪm/ ,(chīm)

Inflections of 'chime' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

chimes

v 3rd person singular

chiming

v pres p

chimed

v past

chimed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

chime¹ /tʃaɪm/   n., v., chimed, chim•ing. 
n. 

1. Music and Dance Often, chimes. [plural]
   • a set of bells producing musical tones when struck.
   • Music and Dance a musical instrument consisting of such a set, esp. a glockenspiel.
   • the musical tone thus produced:
     the soft chimes of the grandfather clock.

v. 

2. Music and Dance [no object] to sound harmoniously or in chimes, such as a set of bells:
   The church bells chimed at noon.
3. Music and Dance [no object] to produce a musical sound by striking a bell, etc.;
   ring chimes:
   The doorbell chimed.
4. Music and Dance [~ + object] to indicate, announce, etc., by chiming:
   Bells chimed the hour.
5. chime in,
   • to enter a conversation, esp. to interrupt: [no object]
     I was all set to chime in when the boss began to speak.
     [used with quotations]
     They chimed in, "Let's try it.''
   • [~ + in + with + object] to be compatible;
     agree:
     This chimes in with what he said before about foreign students.
   • [~ + in + with + object] to say or speak by chiming in:
     He chimed in with a warning about higher costs.

chim•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

chime¹  (chīm), n., v., chimed, chim•ing. 
n. 

1. an apparatus for striking a bell so as to produce a musical sound, as one at the front door of a house by which visitors announce their presence.
2. Often, chimes. 
   • a set of bells or of slabs of metal, stone, wood, etc., producing musical tones when struck.
   • Music and Dance a musical instrument consisting of such a set, esp. a glockenspiel.
   • the musical tones thus produced.
   • carillon.
3. harmonious sound in general;
   music;
   melody.
4. harmonious relation;
   accord:
   the battling duo, in chime at last.

v.i. 

5. to sound harmoniously or in chimes, as a set of bells:
   The church bells chimed at noon.
6. to produce a musical sound by striking a bell, gong, etc.;
   ring chimes:
   The doorbell chimed.
7. to speak in cadence or singsong.
8. to harmonize;
   agree:
   The scenery chimed perfectly with the play's eerie mood.

v.t. 

9. to give forth (music, sound, etc.), as a bell or bells.
10. to strike (a bell, set of bells, etc.) so as to produce musical sound.
11. to put, bring, indicate, announce, etc., by chiming:
    Bells chimed the hour.
12. to utter or repeat in cadence or singsong:
    The class chimed a greeting to the new teacher.
13. chime in:
    • to break suddenly and unwelcomely into a conversation, as to express agreement or voice an opinion.
    • to harmonize with, as in singing.
    • to be consistent or compatible;
      agree:
      The new building will not chime in with the surrounding architecture.

• Middle English chymbe belle, by false analysis of *chimbel, Old English cimbal cymbal 1250–1300

chim′er, n. 

chime²  (chīm), n. 

1. the edge or brim of a cask, barrel, or the like, formed by the ends of the staves projecting beyond the head or bottom.

Also, chimb, chine. 

• 1350–1400; Middle English chimb(e); compare Old English cimbing chime; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch kimme edge

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

chime / tʃaɪm/ noun

1. an individual bell or the sound it makes when struck
2. (often plural) the machinery employed to sound a bell in this way
3. Also called: bell a percussion instrument consisting of a set of vertical metal tubes of graduated length, suspended in a frame and struck with a hammer
4. agreement; concord

verb

1. to sound (a bell) or (of a bell) to be sounded by a clapper or hammer
2. to produce (music or sounds) by chiming
3. (transitive) to indicate or show (time or the hours) by chiming
4. (intransitive) followed by with: to agree or harmonize

Etymology: 13th Century: probably shortened from earlier chymbe bell, ultimately from Latin cymbalum cymbal

ˈchimer noun

chime, chimb / tʃaɪm/chine / tʃaɪn/ noun

1. the projecting edge or rim of a cask or barrel

Etymology: Old English cimb-; related to Middle Low German kimme outer edge, Swedish kimb