The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dint \Dint\, n. [OE. dint, dent, dunt, a blow, AS. dynt; akin to
   Icel. dyntr a dint, dynta to dint, and perh. to L. fendere
   (in composition). Cf. 1st Dent, Defend.]
   1. A blow; a stroke. [Obs.] "Mortal dint." --Milton. "Like
      thunder's dint." --Fairfax.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The mark left by a blow; an indentation or impression made
      by violence; a dent. --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

            Every dint a sword had beaten in it [the shield].
                                                  --Tennyson.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Force; power; -- esp. in the phrase by dint of.
      [1913 Webster]

            Now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
            The dint of pity.                     --Shak.
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            It was by dint of passing strength
            That he moved the massy stone at length. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dint \Dint\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dinted; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Dinting.]
   To make a mark or cavity on or in, by a blow or by pressure;
   to dent. --Donne. Tennyson.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

dint
    n 1: interchangeable with `means' in the expression `by means
         of'

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

170 Moby Thesaurus words for "dint":
   alveolation, alveolus, amperage, armipotence, authority, bang,
   bash, bat, beating, beef, belt, biff, black power, blow, bonk,
   boss, brute force, bump, charge, charisma, chop, clip, clout,
   clump, cogence, cogency, colophon, compulsion, concavity,
   convexity, crack, cut, dactylogram, dactylograph, dash, dent,
   depress, dig, dimple, drive, drub, drubbing, drumming, duress,
   effect, effectiveness, effectuality, embossment, energy, engrave,
   excrescence, fingerprint, flower power, footmark, footprint,
   footstep, force, force majeure, forcefulness, fossil footprint,
   full blast, full force, furrow, fusillade, gouge, hit, honeycomb,
   ichnite, ichnolite, impress, impression, imprint, indent,
   indentation, indention, indenture, influence, jab, knock, lick,
   lump, main force, main strength, mana, might, might and main,
   mightiness, moxie, muscle power, notch, pad, paw print, pawmark,
   pelt, pimple, pit, pizzazz, plunk, pock, pockmark, poke, poop,
   potence, potency, potentiality, pound, power, power pack,
   power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, prepotency,
   press in, print, productiveness, productivity, pug, pugmark,
   puissance, pull, punch, punch in, push, rap, recess, seal,
   set back, set in, sigil, signet, sinew, slam, slog, slug, smack,
   smash, sock, stamp, steam, step, strength, stroke, strong arm,
   stud, sunken part, superiority, superpower, swat, swing, swipe,
   tamp, tattoo, thumbmark, thumbprint, thump, thwack, validity,
   vehemence, vestige, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence,
   vitality, wattage, weight, whack, whop, yerk