Chime In Comes From Bells Joining a Peal
A chime is a musical ringing of bells. To chime in with a remark keeps the old image of a bell joining others already ringing.
A chime is a musical ringing sound, especially of tuned bells. *Chime in*, meaning to join a conversation, is a bell metaphor worn smooth: a bell chimes in when it joins a peal already sounding. The related *chime with* — to agree or fit — carries the same idea of harmony rather than interruption. The word probably began as a misreading of *chymbe bell*, from Latin *cymbalum*, a cymbal.
- A ringing sound. *The chime of the clock.*
- A set of tuned bells. *A chime of eight bells.*
- To ring. *The clock chimed twelve.*
- Chime in — to join a conversation. *He chimed in with a question.*
- Chime with — to agree with. *It chimes with what we found.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | chime | A soft chime. |
| Plural | chimes | Wind chimes. |
| Verb | chime | The bell chimed. |
| Past | chimed | It chimed once. |
| Latin | cymbalum | A cymbal. |
- The doorbell chimed twice.Sound.
- She chimed in halfway through.Conversation.
- That chimes with the earlier evidence.Agreement.
Bell words in everyday speech
- Chime in — join what is already going on
- Ring a bell — sound vaguely familiar
- Clear as a bell — perfectly audible or plain
- Saved by the bell — rescued at the last moment
- Toll — to ring slowly, especially for a death
Middle English, probably from *chymbe bell*, a cymbal bell, from Latin *cymbalum*. The idiomatic uses appear in the 1600s and 1700s.
Does chime in mean interrupt?
Not necessarily. It means to join a conversation, and the tone is usually neutral or friendly.
What does it chimes with mean?
It agrees with or fits well alongside something else, as in this chimes with earlier findings.