Dinged

/dɪŋd/ verb

Definition

Made a ringing sound, or dented something slightly; also means to criticize or deduct points.

Etymology

From Old English 'dingan' meaning to hit or strike, or imitative of the sound itself. The word captures both the sound and the action that creates it.

Kelly Says

The word 'ding' as criticism comes from the ding sound a bell makes when you're marked down—it's why 'that's a ding against you' became slang for a point against someone, because sounds of failure actually stick in our memory better than visual marks.

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