INK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ink mean? 

• INK (noun)
  The noun INK has 2 senses:

1. a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing

2. dark protective fluid ejected into the water by cuttlefish and other cephalopods

  Familiarity information: INK used as a noun is rare.

• INK (verb)
  The verb INK has 3 senses:

1. append one's signature to

2. mark, coat, cover, or stain with ink

3. fill with ink

  Familiarity information: INK used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A liquid used for printing or writing or drawing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("ink" is a kind of...):

liquid (a substance that is liquid at room temperature and pressure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ink"):

indelible ink (ink that cannot be erased or washed away)

drawing ink; India ink (a black liquid ink used for printing or writing or drawing)

magnetic ink (an ink that contains particles of a magnetic substance whose presence can be detected by magnetic sensors)

printer's ink; printing ink (a semisolid quick drying ink made especially for use in printing)

writing ink (any permanent or washable ink used with pens)

Derivation:

ink (fill with ink)

inky (of the color of black ink)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Dark protective fluid ejected into the water by cuttlefish and other cephalopods

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("ink" is a kind of...):

bodily fluid; body fluid; humor; humour; liquid body substance (the liquid parts of the body)

• INK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they ink    ... he / she / it inks   
Past simple: inked   
Past participle: inked   
-ing form: inking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Append one's signature to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

They inked the contract

Hypernyms (to "ink" is one way to...):

sign (be engaged by a written agreement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Mark, coat, cover, or stain with ink

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

he inked his finger

Hypernyms (to "ink" is one way to...):

mark (make or leave a mark on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Fill with ink

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

ink a pen

Hypernyms (to "ink" is one way to...):

fill; fill up; make full (make full, also in a metaphorical sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ink"):

red-ink (mark with red ink)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ink (a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing)

 Context examples 

You must find your own ink, pens, and blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There were title deeds of the Piccadilly house in a great bundle; deeds of the purchase of the houses at Mile End and Bermondsey; note-paper, envelopes, and pens and ink.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“Ah, my frien’s,” he said softly, “mebbe it mek you mad dog, dose many bites. Mebbe all mad dog, sacredam! Wot you t’ink, eh, Perrault?”

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Her utmost powers of expression (which were certainly not great in ink) were exhausted in the attempt to write what she felt on the subject of my journey.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He called for pen and ink, and told the editor he could cut the story down three-thirds if he wanted to, and to send the forty dollars right along.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

An inked deep surgical margin that indicates the outermost layer of connective tissue covering an organ or a vessel has been identified as an area warranting further study.

(Deep Adventitial Inked Margin, NCI Thesaurus)

This substance is used in printing inks, paints and to color vinyl, rubber and paper.

(Lead Chromate, NCI Thesaurus)

Tattoos are designs on the skin made with needles and colored ink.

(Piercing and Tattoos, NIH)

Basic fuchsin is primarily used for bacterial identification, but is also used as a dye in textiles, leather, and printing inks.

(Basic Fuchsin, NCI Thesaurus)

The inks are produced by standard solution processing techniques.

(Washable, wearable battery-like devices could be woven directly into clothes, University of Cambridge)