clinks

Clinks is the plural form of the noun clink, referring to a sharp ringing sound produced when metal objects strike each other or when glassware is touched in a toast. In everyday language, clinks describe these sounds, and the verb clink means to make such a sound, as in glasses clinking during a toast. The term is commonly used in descriptions of social occasions, metalwork, or jewelry when items collide.

In addition to its use as a common noun, Clinks is the name of a UK-based charity and national membership body that supports voluntary sector organizations working in the criminal justice system. The organization coordinates policy work, shares best practices, and provides networking and capacity-building resources to help charities and social enterprises improve outcomes for people affected by crime, including offenders, families, and communities.

Historically, the word clink is also associated with prisons in English-speaking culture; the Clink is a well-known historic London prison, and the term appears in literature and media as a reference to incarceration. However, contemporary usage tends to separate the generic sound of clinking from this specific title.