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clink-clanks

Clink-clanks is a playful, onomatopoeic slang term for handcuffs.

ˈklɪŋknəlz45 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

Clink-clanks is a playful, onomatopoeic slang term for handcuffs. The name comes from the metallic clinking and clanking sound that metal restraints make when they move — which also happens to be exactly the sound you'd rather not hear if you're having a bad night. The term lightens the subject with its childlike sound-effect quality, making it popular in comedy, casual crime talk, and anywhere people want to reference handcuffs without sounding overly serious or formal.

By the end of the night, three people had been escorted out in clink-clanks and the event was trending on social media.
Origin: Onomatopoeic compound from the 'clink' and 'clank' sounds that metal handcuffs produce when worn or handled. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
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#2·Apr 26, 2026

(slang) handcuffs.

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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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