hints

IPA/hɪnt/
KK[hˈɪnts]IPA/hɪnt/

hints — noun

  • hintssingular
  • hintsesplural

1. an indirect verbal or non-verbal signal through which a person makes their thoug

1.nounB1
Definition

an indirect verbal or non-verbal signal through which a person makes their thoughts, wants, or expectations known without spelling them out.

Example

Femi kept yawning and looking at his watch, but his guest did not take the hint.

take + the hint: to understand and act on an indirect signal

Naoko dropped a heavy hint that she wanted a bicycle for her birthday.

drop + a hint: to give an indirect suggestion

Common collocations
  • drop a hint
  • take a hint
  • give a hint
  • broad hint
  • heavy hint
  • subtle hint
  • hint about
  • hint of
Synonyms
  • clue

    a clue is more specific and helps solve a puzzle or mystery, while a hint is usually about someone's thoughts or wishes

  • suggestion

    a suggestion can be direct or indirect; a hint is always indirect

  • implication

    more formal; an implication must be inferred from what is said rather than from an intentional signal

Antonyms
  • announcement

    an announcement is a clear and public statement — the opposite of an indirect hint

Grammar Patterns

give + someone + a hint

drop + a hint

take + a hint

hint + about/of + noun/gerund

hint + that-clause

Usage Note

Common in fixed expressions: 'take a hint' (understand what is indirectly being said) and 'drop a hint' (give an indirect suggestion). The possessive pronoun is often used: 'my hint', 'her hint'.

Common Mistakes

He hinted me that he was tired.
He hinted to me that he was tired.
'hint' always takes 'to' before the indirect object.
She gave hint about the gift.
She gave a hint about the gift.
As a countable noun, 'hint' generally needs an article.

2. a short, practical tip that makes a task or situation easier to handle.

2.nounB1
Definition

a short, practical tip that makes a task or situation easier to handle.

Example

The book is full of handy hints on how to remove stains from clothing.

hint + on + how to: for practical advice

Otis shared a few gardening hints that kept his roses blooming all summer.

Common collocations
  • handy hint
  • helpful hint
  • useful hint
  • hint on
  • hints for
  • gardening hint
  • cooking hint
Synonyms
  • tip

    very similar; 'tip' is slightly more informal and commonly used in everyday contexts like restaurants or life hacks

  • advice

    broader and more general; advice can be long and detailed, whereas a hint is short and specific

  • pointer

    slightly informal; a pointer is usually a single, focused piece of guidance

Grammar Patterns

a hint + on + how to + verb

hints + for + noun/gerund

handy + hint

helpful + hint

Usage Note

This sense is often used in the plural (hints) or in titles of advice articles ('Ten Hints for a Better Night's Sleep'). It overlaps with 'tip' but 'hint' sounds slightly more informal.

Common Mistakes

Can you hint me on how to cook rice?
Can you give me a hint on how to cook rice?
'hint' as a noun takes the verb 'give'; the verb form 'hint' does not take a direct personal object.

3. a very small but perceptible amount of a particular quality, especially in food,

3.nounB2
Definition

a very small but perceptible amount of a particular quality, especially in food, drink, or the air.

Example

The sauce had a faint hint of garlic that made it surprisingly tasty.

a hint of + flavour: for small tastes or smells

There was a hint of salt in the breeze from the nearby sea.

Common collocations
  • a hint of
  • faint hint
  • slight hint
  • hint of lemon
  • hint of garlic
  • hint of sadness
  • hint of colour
Synonyms
  • touch

    a touch suggests a trace of something physical or tangible, while a hint is often sensory or emotional

  • dash

    used in cooking for a small, quick addition of a liquid ingredient; stronger than a hint

  • suggestion

    more formal; 'a suggestion of mint' means the same but sounds more literary

Antonyms
  • lot

    a large amount, the opposite of a tiny hint

Grammar Patterns

a hint of + noun

Usage Note

Used primarily with sensory experiences: taste, smell, colour, and emotion. It is almost always preceded by 'a' and followed by 'of'. Compare with 'touch' (physical feel) and 'dash' (usually in cooking).

Common Mistakes

The room had a hint of cats.
There was a faint smell of cat in the room.
'a hint of' is used for subtle, pleasant, or neutral qualities, not strong or unpleasant odours.

4. a very small sign or piece of information that helps you guess the nature, exist

4.nounB2
Definition

a very small sign or piece of information that helps you guess the nature, existence, or future direction of something.

Example

The first hint of trouble came when the engine started making a strange noise.

first hint of + trouble/danger: earliest sign

Kian saw a hint of rain in the dark clouds gathering to the west.

Common collocations
  • first hint of
  • give a hint that
  • no hint of
  • hint of trouble
  • hint of danger
  • hint of spring
Synonyms
  • clue

    a clue is more concrete and is used in problem-solving or mystery contexts; a hint is subtler

  • indication

    more formal and slightly stronger; an indication tends to be clearer than a hint

  • sign

    broader; a sign can be large or small, strong or weak, while a hint is always slight

Grammar Patterns

a hint + of + noun

a hint + that-clause

the first hint of + noun

Usage Note

Subtly different from sense 1: sense 1 is an intentional communication between people, whereas sense 4 is an observable sign or clue about any phenomenon. 'The first hint of spring' refers to observable signs, not someone's intention.

Common Mistakes

I found a hint that the door was open.
There was a hint that the door was open.
Use 'there was a hint' to describe an observed sign, not 'I found a hint' which sounds like sense 1.

hints — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'hint' is an intentional, indirect communication from one person to another, often about a wish or expectation. A 'clue' is more concrete and helps solve a puzzle or uncover a hidden truth; clues do not require an intentional sender. A 'suggestion' can be direct or indirect and is generally more open and constructive. An 'implication' is an indirect meaning that a listener infers from what was said, but the speaker may not have intended it. For example: 'She dropped a hint that she wanted flowers' (intentional indirect message), 'The detective found a clue at the scene' (piece of evidence), 'He made a suggestion to improve the workflow' (direct constructive idea), and 'The implication of his comment was that we were late' (inferred meaning, possibly unintended).

hint ↗clue ↗suggestion ↗implication ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • drop a hint
  • take a hint
  • give a hint
  • a hint of
  • hint at

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEarly Modern EnglishEnglish

The word 'hint' first appeared in English in the early 1600s. Its origin is uncertain, but it may come from an old English verb 'hentan' meaning 'to seize' or 'to grasp', later developing the sense of 'to catch onto an idea'. Another theory links it to 'hunt' — as in 'hunting for a clue'. Over time, it came to mean a subtle suggestion that you 'grasp' mentally rather than physically.

First known use

1604

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 4 Verb