inkling

Meanings

Noun

• Usually preceded by forms of to give: a slight hint, implication, or suggestion given.
• Often preceded by forms of to get or to have: an imprecise idea or slight knowledge of something; a suspicion.
• A desire, an inclination.

Verb

• Present participle of inkle

Origin

• From Middle English ningkiling, nyngkiling, and then either:
• ; or
• from inklen + -ing, -inge; inklen may be derived from inca, inke, from Old English inca, from Proto-Germanic *inkô, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eng-, *yenǵ-. The English word would then be analysable as inkle + -ing.
• Sense 3 (“desire, inclination”) may have been influenced by incline or French enclin.
• From inkle + -ing.