Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - hint

(hints, hinting, hinted) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A hint is a suggestion about something that is made in an indirect way. The Minister gave a strong hint that the government were thinking of introducing tax concessions for mothers... I’d dropped a hint about having an exhibition of his work up here... N-COUNT: oft N that • If you take a hint, you understand something that is suggested to you indirectly. ‘I think I hear the telephone ringing.’—‘Okay, I can take a hint.’ PHRASE: V inflects 2. If you hint at something, you suggest it in an indirect way. She suggested a trip to the shops and hinted at the possibility of a treat of some sort... The President hinted he might make some changes in the government. VERB: V at n, V that 3. A hint is a helpful piece of advice, usually about how to do something. Here are some helpful hints to make your journey easier... = tip N-COUNT: usu supp N 4. A hint of something is a very small amount of it. She added only a hint of vermouth to the gin... = trace N-SING: N of n