Advertisement
Advertisement
wink
1[ wingk ]
verb (used without object)
- to close and open one eye quickly as a hint or signal or with some sly meaning (often followed by at ):
She winked at him across the room.
- to shine with little flashes of light; twinkle:
The city lights winked in the distance.
Synonyms:
- to close and open one or both eyes quickly.
verb (used with object)
- to signal or convey by closing and opening one eye quickly:
Wink one eye if you need help later.
- to close and open (one or both eyes) quickly.
- to drive or force by opening and closing the eyes rapidly (usually followed by back or away ):
She attempted to wink back the tears.
noun
- a winking movement, especially of one eye in giving a hint or signal:
I gave the judges a wink of my eye to show my confidence.
- a hint or signal given by closing and opening one eye rapidly:
Her wink assured me the plan was still on.
- an act of closing and opening one eye rapidly.
- the time required for closing and opening the eyes once; an instant or twinkling:
I'll be there in a wink.
- a little flash of light; twinkle.
- the least bit:
I didn't sleep a wink last night.
verb phrase
- to ignore deliberately, as to avoid the necessity of taking action:
to wink at minor offenses.
wink
2[ wingk ]
noun
- a disk or similar small object used in tiddlywinks.
wink
1/ ɪŋ /
verb
- intr to close and open one eye quickly, deliberately, or in an exaggerated fashion to convey friendliness, etc
- to close and open (an eye or the eyes) momentarily
- tr; foll by away, back, etc to force away (tears, etc) by winking
- tr to signal with a wink
- intr (of a light) to gleam or flash intermittently
noun
- a winking movement, esp one conveying a signal, etc, or such a signal
- an interrupted flashing of light
- a brief moment of time; instant
- informal.the smallest amount, esp of sleep See also forty winks
- tip the wink informal.to give a hint
wink
2/ ɪŋ /
noun
- a disc used in the game of tiddlywinks
Other 51Թ Forms
- ɾ·Բ· adverb
- ܲ·ɾ·Բ adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of wink1
Origin of wink2
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of wink1
Origin of wink2
Idioms and Phrases
In addition to the idiom beginning with wink , also see forty winks ; quick as a wink ; sleep a wink .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
In a smart detail, Mendelsohn’s unnamed racist shoots the other white guy in the store a complicit wink.
"By the end of the holiday I couldn't sleep a wink from the pain, and by the time I got home I could barely walk."
Together with the footage of him walking off the pitch, winking to a team-mate en route, it made a compelling case.
This invective is delivered with a sneer, a wink, and finally a cackle of laughter.
Although officially banned for human consumption by the FDA, poppers have been sold openly in thumb-sized bottles marketed — with a wink and a nod — as nail polish remover, liquid incense or VHS tape cleaner.
Advertisement
Related 51Թs
More About Wink
What does wink mean?
To wink is to close and reopen one or both eyes quickly, often as a subtle signal or hint to someone.
To wink is also to shine with little flashes of light (to twinkle), as in Naomi gazed up at the winking stars and sighed.
To wink can also mean to blink, but often it is reserved for the blinking of one eye.
A wink is the act of winking.
A wink is also the time it takes to wink. This is often used figuratively rather than literally, as in This year went by in a wink!
A wink can also mean the least bit, as in I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night. Because a wink is normally quick, the example sentence implies you didn’t get the smallest bit of sleep.
Example: She winked at me from the other room, signalling that it’s time to leave.
Where does wink come from?
The first records of the term wink come from before the 900s. It ultimately comes from the Old English wincian.
Often in pop culture, and occasionally in real life, a wink is used to flirt with someone and let them know you like them romantically. In contrast, the phrase wink at means to purposely ignore or close your eyes at something, as in In the movie, the police chief winked at the mob’s activities.
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to wink?
What are some synonyms for wink?
What are some words that share a root or word element with wink?
What are some words that often get used in discussing wink?
How is wink used in real life?
Wink is commonly used to refer to quickly closing and reopening one or both eyes on purpose.
I had a dream last night that my shoe came untied so Drake retied it, looked at me and said “God’s Plan” with a wink.
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato)
If i could wink properly i would use it so well
— Shawn Mendes (@ShawnMendes)
Try using wink!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for wink?
A. gleam
B. glimmer
C. dullness
D. twinkle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse