noun
fink
fihngk
noun
1
An informer, especially one seen as untrustworthy or contemptible.
"Nobody trusted him after he turned out to be a fink."
2
A worker who crosses a picket line or helps break a strike.
"The company brought in finks to keep the factory running during the strike."
verb
1
To inform on someone, especially to betray a confidence.
"He finked on his friends to avoid getting in trouble himself."
How to Use Fink
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA slang term for a snitch, informer, or strikebreaker.
When to use it
Informal, mid-20th-century American slang, now somewhat dated.
Word Forms
finked past tense, finks plural, finks plural, Finks plural, finks singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “fink”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Nobody trusted him after he turned out to be a _____.
Etymology
Origin uncertain, first recorded in the 1890s in the US; possibly linked to German Fink ("finch"), since finches were seen as noisy, chattering birds — an image that fits an informer.