chimes

IPA/tʃˈaɪmz/

KK[tʃˈaɪmz]IPA/tʃˈaɪmz/

1.nounB2

Definition

A row of small bells, hollow metal tubes, or tuned pieces that make a clear ringing sound when something hits them, played as an instrument or hung up to be moved by the wind.

Example

Yumi hung a set of bamboo chimes on the porch so they would sing whenever the wind blew.

collocation: hang / put up chimes

The orchestra's chimes rang out three clear notes at the end of the song.

collocation: chimes ring out / sound

Common collocations

wind chimes
set of chimes
ring / sound the chimes
hang chimes
tubular chimes

Synonyms

bells
more general; any ringing object, not necessarily tuned as a set
wind chimes
the specific outdoor compound; very common in everyday speech
carillon
formal / technical; a large set of tuned tower bells, usually keyboard-played

Grammar Patterns

a set of chimes

wind chimes

play the chimes

Usage Note

Almost always plural, because the instrument is a SET of bells or tubes — you rarely say 'a chime' for the instrument as a whole. Common compound: 'wind chimes' (the ones hung outdoors).

Common Mistakes

I bought a chime for the garden.

I bought a wind chime / a set of chimes for the garden.

when talking about the hanging garden instrument, use the compound 'wind chime' or the plural 'chimes'.

The chime sounded beautiful as the wind blew.

The chimes sounded beautiful as the wind blew.

for the instrument itself, the plural is much more natural.

1.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

(of a bell, clock, or set of bells) to make a clear musical ringing sound, often to mark the time or to call attention.

Example

The old church clock chimes every hour, and you can hear it from the village square.

typical subject: clock / church bell

Piotr waited for the school bell to chime before he packed his bag.

collocation: bell chimes

Common collocations

clock chimes
bell chimes
chimes the hour
chimes midnight

Synonyms

ring
more general; covers any bell sound, including doorbells and phones
peal
formal / louder; a long loud ringing of large bells, often celebratory
toll
slow and solemn ringing, often for funerals or warnings

Grammar Patterns

clock / bell chimes

chime + time expression

Usage Note

Subject is almost always a bell, clock, or set of bells — not a person. Frequently followed by a time word (chimes the hour, chimed midnight) when the sound marks time.

Common Mistakes

My phone chimed loudly during class.' (when meaning a short ping/notification)

My phone pinged / beeped loudly during class.

'chime' suggests a clear musical bell sound, not an electronic notification beep.

2.verbtransitiveC1

Definition

To make a bell or clock produce a ringing sound by hitting or operating it, especially to mark a particular time or signal.

Example

The old guard chimed the great bell at noon to call the workers in for lunch.

pattern: chime + bell + purpose

Nikhil chimed the brass bell three times to announce the start of the meal.

pattern: chime + bell + number of times

Common collocations

chime a bell
chime the hour
chime the bowl

Synonyms

ring
everyday equivalent; works for any bell-shaped object, including doorbells
sound
more general; can apply to any signalling device, not just bells
strike
describes the physical hit; often used with clocks (the clock struck three)

Grammar Patterns

chime + bell / chime + the hour

Usage Note

Less common than the intransitive sense. Object must be something that produces a clear ringing tone (bell, clock, singing bowl), not a drum or a phone.

Common Mistakes

Nicholas chimed the door to call us.

Nicholas rang the doorbell to call us.

you 'ring' a doorbell, not 'chime' it.

3.verbtransitiveC1

Definition

To show or announce that something is happening by ringing a bell or clock — for example, a new hour, an arrival, or the start of an event.

Example

The cathedral bells chimed the arrival of the new bishop as the crowd gathered in the square.

pattern: chime + arrival / event

A small bell chimed the start of each round of the chess tournament.

pattern: chime + the start of [event]

Common collocations

chimes the hour
chimes the arrival
chimes the start of

Synonyms

announce
general; can use words or signals, not specifically bells
signal
broader; any way of giving a sign, not necessarily by sound
mark
common with time: 'the bell marked the hour'

Grammar Patterns

chime + event / chime + time

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (intransitive 'a bell chimes') and sense 2 (transitive 'someone chimes a bell'): here the bell or clock IS the subject, and the object is the EVENT being announced (the hour, an arrival, the start of something).

Common Mistakes

The clock chimed that it was time to leave.

The clock chimed five, signalling that it was time to leave.

chime takes the event as a direct object, not a that-clause.

4.verbintransitiveC2

Definition

(formal) to fit together well in opinion, feeling, or style, especially in a way that feels harmonious — used about ideas, views, or moods, not people in everyday speech.

Example

Christopher's views on free education chime with the policies of the new minister.

pattern: chime with + opinion / policy

The film's gentle ending chimes nicely with the quiet mood of the opening scene.

pattern: chime with + tone / mood

Common collocations

chime with
chime nicely
chime perfectly

Synonyms

agree
everyday equivalent; people or ideas can agree, less formal
harmonise
similar register; often used of artistic or aesthetic fit
match
more concrete; suggests visible similarity rather than abstract harmony

Antonyms

clash
ideas or styles that conflict instead of fitting together

Grammar Patterns

chime with someone / something

two ideas chime

Usage Note

Formal / literary register. Subjects are usually ideas, opinions, moods, or works of art — not people themselves. Often paired with adverbs like 'nicely', 'perfectly', 'well'.

Common Mistakes

I chime with my brother on this issue.

I agree with my brother on this issue.' / 'My view chimes with my brother's on this issue.

people don't 'chime' with each other; their ideas do.

5.verbtransitiveC2

Definition

(formal, rare) to say the same word or phrase over and over in an insistent, sometimes annoying way.

Example

Putri's grandmother kept chiming the same warning about the slippery floor all morning.

pattern: chime + warning / phrase

The radio host chimed the campaign slogan so often that listeners began to laugh.

Common collocations

chime a warning
chime a slogan
chime the same line

Synonyms

repeat
everyday equivalent; neutral, no insistent tone
drone
suggests boring, monotonous repetition
harp on
informal; repeat the same complaint or topic too often

Grammar Patterns

chime + word / phrase

Usage Note

Very rare in modern speech — mostly literary. The object is usually a short fixed phrase (warning, slogan, proverb) that the speaker repeats. Distinguish from 'chime in' (phrasal sense: to join a conversation suddenly), which is far more common.

Common Mistakes

Rodrigo chimed his name several times.

Rodrigo repeated his name several times.

in everyday English, 'repeat' or 'keep saying' is far more natural; 'chime' here sounds old-fashioned.

Word family

chime
nounB2
chime
verbB2
chimed
verbB2
chiming
verbB2
chime in
phrasal verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe the sound a bell makes, but they differ in tone, scale, and feeling. 'Ring' is the everyday neutral choice — any bell, doorbell, phone, or alarm 'rings', and it tells you nothing about the mood. 'Chime' is more musical and pleasant; it suggests a clear, tuned note, often from a clock or set of bells marking the hour. 'Peal' is louder, longer, and usually celebratory — wedding bells PEAL across the village, but a doorbell only RINGS. 'Toll' is slow, heavy, and solemn — funeral bells TOLL, and the sound carries warning or grief. So you might say: 'The church bells chimed nine o'clock' (a calm marking), 'the bells pealed for the royal wedding' (joyful and loud), and 'the bell tolled for the lost sailors' (slow and sad).

chime ↗ring ↗pealtoll ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

wind chimes
church chimes
tubular chimes
door chimes

Adverbs

Phrases

the chimes of midnight
the clock chimes the hour
wind chimes tinkle in the breeze

Prepositions

chime with
chime in
chime from
chime at

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Comes from Middle English 'chimbe', which originally meant 'cymbal' or 'set of bells', taken from Old French 'chimbe'. The English word likely traces further back to Latin 'cymbalum', the same root that gives us 'cymbal'. Over time, the noun for the instrument grew a verb form for the action of ringing, and from there extended to today's figurative use for ideas that 'fit together harmoniously'.

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chimes

chimes — noun

1. A row of small bells, hollow metal tubes, or tuned pieces that make a clear ring

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

chimes — verb

1. (of a bell, clock, or set of bells) to make a clear musical ringing sound, often

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. To make a bell or clock produce a ringing sound by hitting or operating it, espe

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. To show or announce that something is happening by ringing a bell or clock — for

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. (formal) to fit together well in opinion, feeling, or style, especially in a way

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

5. (formal, rare) to say the same word or phrase over and over in an insistent, som

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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