tinkle v.

"emit tinkling metallic sounds," late 14c., gingeln, of imitative origin; compare tinkle (v.), Dutch jengelen, German klingeln (from Old High German klingilon (8c.), a frequentative of klingen). "There does not appear any original association with jangle" [OED]. Transitive sense "cause to emit a jingling sound" is from c. 1500. Related: Jingled; jingling. Massinger has jingle-boy "a coin" (c. 1600). Jingle-bell is attested from 1871. Jingle-brains (1700) was slang for "a wild, thoughtless, rattling fellow" [Grose].

late 14c., "to have a ringing sensation when hearing something," also "to have a stinging or thrilling feeling," variation of tinkelen (see tinkle). Related: Tingled; tingling. The noun is first recorded 1700 in reference to sound, 1848 in reference to sensation.