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ding
DCHP-3 (Apr 2025)
Note that the only Canadian meaning is meaning #1. All others are not distinctly Canadian, hence the dagger markings.
1v. — Informal, Economy, often Digital Life
to charge someone money unexpectedly.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — First mentioned without any comment in a list of Canadian words (Maclean's 2013), dinged, in the sense of 'to charge someone money unexpectedly' does qualify as a semantic change and usage. The financial sense is very rare south of the line (see the 2024 quotation). Chart 1 clarifies the distribution in North America, however. As the quotations show, this meaning has a considerable pedigree in Canada.
The meaning is not yet registered in OED-3 (25 Apr. 2025) or in Merriam-Webster Unabridged. While the latter lists a meaning as "ding verb (2), def. 2 informal: to penalize or criticize", these penalties, illustrated in their examples, do not involve monetary fines.
COD-2 lists as meaning 3 (s.v. ding2, v.) "charge (esp. an excessive amount)" but does not identify it as Canadian.
Chart 1 confirms, with the expression of they ding you in order to minimize other meanings, that meaning #1 is Canadian also by virtue of frequency (Type 5).
The meaning is not yet registered in OED-3 (25 Apr. 2025) or in Merriam-Webster Unabridged. While the latter lists a meaning as "ding verb (2), def. 2 informal: to penalize or criticize", these penalties, illustrated in their examples, do not involve monetary fines.
COD-2 lists as meaning 3 (s.v. ding2, v.) "charge (esp. an excessive amount)" but does not identify it as Canadian.
Chart 1 confirms, with the expression of they ding you in order to minimize other meanings, that meaning #1 is Canadian also by virtue of frequency (Type 5).
See: south of the line
Quotations
1976
And isn't it strange that the private vices of Stogie Bill Davis and Darcy (the Pipe) McKeough remained untouched while cigaret smokers were dinged another nickel a pack?
1986
"It's not like in the United States when the police can pull you over and check your log book. If it's not in shape you can get dinged and dinged heavily (with a fine)," he testified. "One major Canadian trucking firm got fined $7,000 for not having its log books in shape. It wasn't a case of long hours, just sloppiness."
1994
Detroit? The Red Wings get dinged $25,000 for negotiating with Keenan while he was under contract, which is exactly what St. Louis did.
2005
The problem, as we all know, is that if you are a woman toting a blouse to the cleaners, you are going to be dinged the higher price regardless of any distinction in the care that must be applied to the cleaning of the item.
2017
All this parking is free, folks. Yet if you go buy tickets to a concert they ding you for 10 bucks. Penticton city council is constantly looking at ways to increase revenue and yet they are ignoring a constant large stream of revenue.
2024
[Lyn: It still feels wrong when they ding you for doing the right thing. Jenny: Or like the other tip I've read is, I mean, obviously if they're not charging you an annual fee, just you can still leave that line of credit open and just not use that credit card.]
2025
A: where did they ding you in Oshawa?
B: It was Harmony Rd North of Winchester
A: Oh, odd spot for that too. I know they have been hammering people on 7, maybe this is an extension of that. I had to go to markham on saturday, probably a half dozen pulled over just in picking from brock to lakeridge.
B: It was Harmony Rd North of Winchester
A: Oh, odd spot for that too. I know they have been hammering people on 7, maybe this is an extension of that. I had to go to markham on saturday, probably a half dozen pulled over just in picking from brock to lakeridge.
2†n. & v. & adj. — Informal
a forceful blow; to punch someone forcefully.
The noun is considered originally "Scottish and English regional", dating back to the early 16th century (OED-3, s.v. "ding n1, def. 1"). This meaning is found early in Canada's historical record for the noun and adjectival uses (see the 1918 and 1901 quotations).
See: south of the line
Quotations
1901
While at the conclusion of the great struggle the score of both sides was nil, torn ears, dinged noses and other evidence of facial disfigurement told of the character of the game. [football, Ottawa Tigers against a second team of Ottawa Varsity]
1918
"An' by heck! et kept ole General Riall a 'humpin' to hold 'em. Dinged if thum Yanks didn't hev four thousand blue coats agin' ourn two thousand. . . ."
1976
"We not only lost the ball, but two of our guys got dinged on the same play." While there were some obvious weaknesses in the Hamilton line-up, Dickson blamed his team's lack of aggressiveness - especially along both lines - for the one-sided loss.
2008
Julien said he spoke to Bergeron after the second and the player was alert. "He got dinged pretty good," Julien said. "He was speaking to me and then I took off and coached the third period."
3a†v. — Informal; rare
a sharp dip or decrease of something.
Listed in OED-3, s.v. "ding, n1, def. 2c" as "figurative. A dip, decline, or diminution; a setback, a reversal of fortune".
Quotations
1984
In an interview, [Michael Enright] said he had heard rumors that Quest was in trouble, but added that he was "going to keep showing up to work to put out the next issue." Enright said Quest was "already being redesigned when we got dinged by the numbers." He said, however, that the PMB numbers "fell like a thud."
3b†n. — Informal, usually followed by "on" or "against"
a disapproving comment or negative effect.
OED-3, s.v. "ding, n1, def. 3b", lists this meaning as "Originally and chiefly U.S.", dating it to 1986.
Quotations
2005
Heavier ammo poor trajectory and less lethality are three major dings against it, even if we DS that they have cooked up some 9mm ammo that can defeat level IIIA soft / III hard armour (since it's already a given that 9mm from an SMG will defeat level I, IIA and II soft armour).
2018
But I just don’t think [J. G.] can play in the NHL anymore. Absolutely crushed in scoring chances for/against (CF 5×5 8-18, 30.8%). Multiple defensive dings against in both of the 1st 2 periods.
2022
Romano still leads the league in saves, while Garcia's season stats are badly skewed by one awful outing against the Red Sox in April, in which he got dinged for four runs while only recording one out.
4†n. & adj. — especially Automotive
a small dent in a car or other item.
This meaning is not only found in US English, but also in Canadian English. While it is correct that in US English ding is used for 'making a dent in a car' (listed as a noun in OED-3, s.v. "ding n1, def. 2a", as "originally U.S." dating back to 1922), it is also one of the most common uses of the term in Canada. As the 1954 quotation shows, it derives from a different context.
Quotations
1954
ORANGE & GRAPEFRUIT JUICE -- 20 oz. tins, 8 for $1.00 and some more dinged tins at 9 for .... $1.00
1990
He said the federal rules should not require "that when you have a ding in the side of a car, go to the body shop and get it fixed because it is unsafe." The report also said Transport Canada staff expressed a lack of faith in the safety standards.
2022
Understanding the Differences Between a Ding and a Dent in Your Car[...] A ding on your car is usually a 1/2 inch in diameter that doesn’t cause any damage to the paint.
References
- Maclean's (2013) • 11 Canadian words, phrases and slang most Americans wouldn’t understand
- COD-2 • ding 2
- OED-3 • ding n1
- Merriam-Webster Unabridged • verb 2, def. 2
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