blink

[blingk] /blɪŋk/
verb (used without object)
1.
to open and close the eye, especially involuntarily; wink rapidly and repeatedly.
2.
to look with winking or half-shut eyes:
I blinked at the harsh morning light.
3.
to be startled, surprised, or dismayed (usually followed by at):
She blinked at his sudden fury.
4.
to look evasively or with indifference; ignore (often followed by at):
to blink at another's eccentricities.
5.
to shine unsteadily, dimly, or intermittently; twinkle:
The light on the buoy blinked in the distance.
verb (used with object)
6.
to open and close (the eye or eyes), usually rapidly and repeatedly; wink:
She blinked her eyes in an effort to wake up.
7.
to cause (something) to blink:
We blinked the flashlight frantically, but there was no response.
8.
to ignore deliberately; evade; shirk.
noun
9.
an act of blinking:
The faithful blink of the lighthouse.
10.
a gleam; glimmer:
There was not a blink of light anywhere.
11.
Chiefly Scot. a glance or glimpse.
12.
Meteorology.
  1. iceblink.
  2. snowblink.
Idioms
13.
on the blink, not in proper working order; in need of repair:
The washing machine is on the blink again.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English blinken (v.), variant of blenken to blench1; cognate with Dutch, German blinken
Synonyms
1. See wink1 . 8. overlook, disregard, avoid, condone. 9. wink, flicker, twinkle, flutter.
British Dictionary definitions for on the blink

blink

/blɪŋk/
verb
1.
to close and immediately reopen (the eyes or an eye), usually involuntarily
2.
(intransitive) to look with the eyes partially closed, as in strong sunlight
3.
to shine intermittently, as in signalling, or unsteadily
4.
(transitive; foll by away, from, etc) to clear the eyes of (dust, tears, etc)
5.
when tr, usually foll by at. to be surprised or amazed: he blinked at the splendour of the ceremony
6.
when intr, foll by at. to pretend not to know or see (a fault, injustice, etc)
noun
7.
the act or an instance of blinking
8.
a glance; glimpse
9.
short for iceblink (sense 1)
10.
(slang) on the blink, not working properly
Word Origin
C14: variant of blench1; related to Middle Dutch blinken to glitter, Danish blinke to wink, Swedish blinka
Word Origin and History for on the blink

blink

v.

1580s, perhaps from Middle Dutch blinken "to glitter," of uncertain origin, possibly, with German blinken "to gleam, sparkle, twinkle," from a nasalized form of base found in Old English blican "to shine, glitter" (see bleach (v.)).

Middle English had blynke (c.1300) in the sense "a brief gleam or spark," perhaps a variant of blench "to move suddenly or sharply; to raise one's eyelids" (c.1200), perhaps from the rare Old English blencan "deceive." Related: Blinked; blinking. The last, as a euphemism for a stronger word, is attested by 1914.

n.

1590s, "a glance;" see blink (v.). As is the case with the verb, there is a similar word in Middle English, in use from c.1300, that might represent a native form of the same root.

Slang definitions & phrases for on the blink

on the blink

adjective phrase

(Variations: bum or fritz or Fritz may replace blink) Not functioning properly; in poor condition: His pacemaker just went on the fritz

[entry form 1904+, fritz 1903+, bum 1896+; origin unknown; perhaps fr the notion that defective eyes or lights blink]


blink

verb

To blink one's eyes in a face-to-face confrontation, a sign of weakness; back down: NBC Entertainment President thinks ABC has blinked (mid1980s+)

Related Terms

on the blink


Idioms and Phrases with on the blink

on the blink

Also, on the bum or fritz. Malfunctioning, out of order, broken, as in The TV is on the blink again, or You drive—our car's on the bum. The first of these slangy expressions dates from the late 1800s and possibly alludes to an electric light that flickers on and off (“blinks”); the second, from the same period, possibly is derived from bum in the sense of “a contemptible person”; the third, fritz, dating from about 1900, is of unknown origin.

blink

see: on the blink