wink

¹

[ wingk ]

verb (used without object)

1. 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.

2. to shine with little flashes of light; twinkle:

   The city lights winked in the distance.

   Synonyms: sparkle

3. to close and open one or both eyes quickly.

verb (used with object)

1. to signal or convey by closing and opening one eye quickly:

   Wink one eye if you need help later.

2. to close and open (one or both eyes) quickly.
3. 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

1. 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.

2. a hint or signal given by closing and opening one eye rapidly:

   Her wink assured me the plan was still on.

3. an act of closing and opening one eye rapidly.
4. the time required for closing and opening the eyes once; an instant or twinkling:

   I'll be there in a wink.

5. a little flash of light; twinkle.
6. the least bit:

   I didn't sleep a wink last night.

verb phrase

1. to ignore deliberately, as to avoid the necessity of taking action:

   to wink at minor offenses.

wink

²

[ wingk ]

noun

, Games.

1. a disk or similar small object used in tiddlywinks.

wink

¹

/ wɪŋk /

verb

1. intr to close and open one eye quickly, deliberately, or in an exaggerated fashion to convey friendliness, etc
2. to close and open (an eye or the eyes) momentarily
3. tr; foll by away, back, etc to force away (tears, etc) by winking
4. tr to signal with a wink
5. intr (of a light) to gleam or flash intermittently

noun

1. a winking movement, esp one conveying a signal, etc, or such a signal
2. an interrupted flashing of light
3. a brief moment of time; instant
4. informal.
   the smallest amount, esp of sleep See also forty winks
5. tip the wink informal.
   to give a hint

wink

²

/ wɪŋk /

noun

1. a disc used in the game of tiddlywinks

Other Words From

• wink·ing·ly adverb
• un·wink·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wink¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb winken, Old English wincian; cognate with German winken “to wave, signal”; the noun is derivative of the verb

Origin of wink²

First recorded in 1890–95; extracted from tiddlywinks

Word History and Origins

Origin of wink¹

Old English wincian; related to Old Saxon wincon, Old High German winchan, German winken to wave. See wench , winch

Origin of wink²

C20: shortened from tiddlywinks

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with wink , also see forty winks ; quick as a wink ; sleep a wink .

Synonym Study

Wink, blink refer to rapid motions of the eyelid. To wink is to close and open either one or both eyelids with a rapid motion, often intentionally or as a signal. To blink suggests an involuntary movement, sometimes due to a sleepy, dazed, or dazzled condition in which it is difficult to focus the eyes or see clearly: Bright sun makes most people blink.

Example Sentences

But if you listen to the score, right from the opening moments composer Umberto Smerilli makes a bold declaration about what kind of movie it is: nervy, tempestuous, winking and just a little bit melodramatic.

From Los Angeles Times

His mirror-clad house in Palm Springs, “Mirage,” got a wink in the Showtime series “The Curse.”

From Los Angeles Times

There’s even a winking reference to her Pussycat Dolls fame in the backstage bit that opens the second act.

From Los Angeles Times

Well, the big stuff has been talked up in advance – through nods and winks, official briefings and unauthorised leaks.

From BBC

And the “memoir” we’re invited to observe is a wounding one, rife with heartbreak and trauma — but also, as it turns out, raunchy humor and slapstick pratfalls, literate puns and winking sight gags.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gleam
• glimmer
• twinkle

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?

• unwinking (adverb)
• winkingly (adjective)
• winker (noun)

What are some synonyms for wink?

• moment
• gleam
• glimmer
• twinkle

What are some words that share a root or word element with wink? 

• wink at
• wink reflex

What are some words that often get used in discussing wink?

• close
• clue
• eye
• sleep

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) February 19, 2018

If i could wink properly i would use it so well

— Shawn Mendes (@ShawnMendes) November 4, 2014

 

 

Try using wink!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for wink?

A. gleam
B. glimmer
C. dullness
D. twinkle