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The meaning and origin of the expression: Rinky-dink

Rinky-dink

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Rinky dink'?

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Something that is worn out, cheap or insignificant. To give someone the rinky-dink means to cheat them.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Rinky dink'?

The derivation of this expression isn't known, but we do know that it originated in the USA around the turn of the 20th century. Both of the above meanings, that is, the adjectival meaning 'cheap and tacky' and the verb 'to cheat' originated then.

The earliest citation refer to the 'cheating' meaning; for example, this piece from The Fresno Morning Republican, June 1899:

But I - I ain't got nothln' for to show him what I think,
But you can bet I'll not set by and get the rinky-dink!

The 'cheap and tacky' meaning seems to have derived from that. The earliest citation I can find for that usage is in the Pennsylvania newspaper The McKean Democrat, February 1912:

"Some people will put a quarter column advertisement in some little rinky-dink sheet for $9 a year."

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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