link

UK: /ˈlɪŋk/ US: /lɪŋk/ ,(lingk)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

link¹ /lɪŋk/   n. 

[countable]
1. one of the rings or separate pieces that form a chain.
2. anything that connects one part or thing with another;
   a bond or tie:
   The locket was a link with her past.
3. Food any of a number of connected sausages.
4. Jewelry cuff link.

v. 

5. to join by or as if by a link or links;
   unite: [~ + object + to + object]
   The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.
   [~ (+ up) + object + and/with + object]
   The new bridge will link (up) the island and the mainland.
   [~ (+ up)]
   The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

link¹  (lingk), n. 

1. one of the rings or separate pieces of which a chain is composed.
2. anything serving to connect one part or thing with another;
   a bond or tie:
   The locket was a link with the past.
3. Telecommunications a unit in a communications system, as a radio relay station or a television booster station.
4. Food any of a series of sausages in a chain.
5. Jewelry a cuff link.
6. a ring, loop, or the like:
   a link of hair.
7. Computing an object, as text or graphics, linked through hypertext to a document, another object, etc.
8. [Survey., Civ. Engin.]
   • Surveying (in a surveyor's chain) a unit of length equal to 7.92 inches (20.12 centimeters).
   • Surveying one of 100 rods or loops of equal length forming a surveyor's or engineer's chain.
9. Chemistry bond¹ (def. 15).
10. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] a rigid, movable piece or rod, connected with other parts by means of pivots or the like, for the purpose of transmitting motion.

v.t., v.i. 

11. to join by or as if by a link or links;
    connect;
    unite (often fol. by up):
    The new bridge will link the island to the mainland. The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.

• Old Danish lænkia chain; cognate with Old Norse hlekkr link (plural, chain), Old English hlence coat of chain mail, akin to German Gelenk joint
• late Middle English link(e) 1375–1425

link′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. connection, connective, copula.
• 10. bond, league, conjoin, fasten, bind, tie, pin.

link²  (lingk), n. 

1. a torch, esp. of tow and pitch.

• 1520–30; perh. special use of link¹; the torches so called may have been made of strands twisted together in chainlike form

link¹, +n. 

1. Computing an object, as text or graphics, linked through hypertext to a document, another object, etc.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

link / lɪŋk/ noun

1. any of the separate rings, loops, or pieces that connect or make up a chain
2. something that resembles such a ring, loop, or piece
3. a road, rail, air, or sea connection, as between two main routes
4. a connecting part or episode
5. a connecting piece in a mechanism, often having pivoted ends
6. Also called: radio link a system of transmitters and receivers that connect two locations by means of radio and television signals
7. a unit of length equal to one hundredth of a chain. 1 link of a Gunter's chain is equal to 7.92 inches, and of an engineer's chain to 1 foot
8. short for hyperlink

verb

1. (often followed by up) to connect or be connected with or as if with links
2. (transitive) to connect by association, etc

Etymology: 14th Century: from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse hlekkr link

link / lɪŋk/ noun

1. (formerly) a torch used to light dark streets

Etymology: 16th Century: perhaps from Latin lychnus, from Greek lukhnos lamp