din

din — noun

1. a loud, unpleasant mixture of different sounds that continues without stopping f

1.nounB2
Definition

a loud, unpleasant mixture of different sounds that continues without stopping for some time

Example

The children made such a din that Megan could not hear the phone ring.

collocation: make a din

Above the din of the marching band, Feng could hear his friends calling his name.

collocation: above the din

Common collocations
  • make a din
  • above the din
  • din of
  • block out the din
  • hear the din
  • din from
Synonyms
  • noise

    the most general term; din is specifically loud and continuous

  • racket

    informal, suggests a chaotic disturbance often made by people

  • clamour

    suggests many voices shouting together, often in protest

  • uproar

    stronger than din, implies confusion and excitement mixed with noise

Antonyms
  • silence

    complete absence of sound

  • quiet

    absence of loud or disturbing noise

Grammar Patterns

a din of [plural noun]

Usage Note

Typically follows 'a' or 'the'. Frequently appears in the pattern 'a din of [plural noun]', for example 'a din of voices' or 'a din of machinery'.

Common Mistakes

I heard a din of the bird.
I heard the din of the construction site.
'din' describes a mixture of many sounds, not a single sound source.
There was din outside.
There was a din outside.
As a countable noun, 'din' usually needs an article or determiner.

din — verb

din — noun

1. a written abbreviation for dinar, the standard unit of money used in several cou

1.noun
Definition

a written abbreviation for dinar, the standard unit of money used in several countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, and Tunisia

Example

The price listed was 15 din, which seemed reasonable for the handmade rug.

abbreviation: din for dinar

Heloísa exchanged her euros for din before flying to Tunis.

Usage Note

Abbreviation for 'dinar'. Used in currency pricing, exchange rates, and financial contexts.

2. a written abbreviation for Deutsche Industrie Norm (German Industrial Standards)

2.noun
Definition

a written abbreviation for Deutsche Industrie Norm (German Industrial Standards), a system of technical and industrial standards used widely in Germany and internationally

Example

The screw was manufactured to DIN standards, so it fitted the German-made machine perfectly.

domain: DIN standards in engineering

All electrical components in the building must meet DIN specifications for safety.

Common collocations
  • DIN standards
  • DIN specifications
  • DIN norm

Usage Note

DIN standards are commonly referenced in engineering, manufacturing, and quality-control documentation. Typically written in all-capitals.

Word family

  • dinning
    verbC1
  • dinned
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Noise is the most general word for any unwanted or unpleasant sound. Din narrows this to a loud, continuous mixture of sounds that lasts for some time — think of a busy factory floor or a crowded market hall. Racket is the informal equivalent, often suggesting a chaotic, jarring disturbance created by people or machinery. Clamour adds a human element: many voices shouting together, often in protest, excitement, or demand. Pandemonium describes a wild, uncontrolled uproar where noise merges with confusion, such as the roar of a stadium after a surprise goal. For a long-running background rumble from traffic or construction, din is the natural choice. For a sudden, angry outburst of voices, clamour fits better.

din ↗noise ↗racketclamourpandemonium

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • din of voices
  • din of machinery
  • din of traffic
  • above the din
  • make a din

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Din comes from Old English 'dyne' (noise, thunder), which goes back to a Proto-Germanic root '*duniz' meaning 'sound'. This root is related to Sanskrit 'dhvanati' (it sounds, it roars) and Greek 'thēnos' (tumult, noise). The verb form developed from the noun in Middle English, first used in the sense of 'make a loud noise'.