wink1

[wingk] /wɪŋk/
verb (used without object)
1.
to close and open one or both eyes quickly.
2.
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.
3.
(of the eyes) to close and open thus; blink.
4.
to shine with little flashes of light; twinkle:
The city lights winked in the distance.
verb (used with object)
5.
to close and open (one or both eyes) quickly; execute or give (a wink).
6.
to drive or force by winking (usually followed by back or away):
She attempted to wink back the tears.
7.
to signal or convey by a wink.
noun
8.
an act of winking.
9.
a winking movement, especially of one eye in giving a hint or signal.
10.
a hint or signal given by winking.
11.
the time required for winking once; an instant or twinkling:
I'll be there in a wink.
12.
a little flash of light; twinkle.
13.
the least bit:
I didn't sleep a wink last night.
Verb phrases
14.
wink at, to ignore deliberately, as to avoid the necessity of taking action:
to wink at minor offenses.
Origin
before 900; (v.) Middle English winken, Old English wincian; cognate with German winken to wave, signal; (noun) Middle English: nap, derivative of the v.
Related forms
winkingly, adverb
unwinking, adjective
Synonyms
1. 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. To blink suggests a sleepy, dazed, or dazzled condition in which it is difficult to focus the eyes or see clearly: Bright sun makes one blink. 4. sparkle.

wink2

[wingk] /wɪŋk/
noun, Games.
1.
a disk or similar small object used in tiddlywinks.
Origin
1890-95; extracted from tiddlywinks
Examples from the web for wink
  • Does it mean a bedroom community or agricultural interests wink wink are engaged.
  • The odd thing is, no one has turned on a flashlight, and no streetlights or house lights wink on around them.
  • In the wink of an eye, insomnia slips from thought to obsession, from earnest doubt to pitiless masochism and misanthropy.
  • While this is objectively interesting, the cutesy wink to the reader at the end is both predictable and patronizing.
  • Scientists have to give a nudge and a wink about possible applications in the future to be a blip on anyone's radar.
  • He had done this several times before, but always with what seemed a wink.
  • It's a tingly feeling that starts in the hands, moves toward the wallet, and concludes with a wink.
  • It's a difficult song, she remembered all the lyrics, and she didn't wink or twirl her skirt at the end.
  • Acknowledging my dishonesty with a wink didn't make it less a lie.
  • He took the ice with a rakish grin, popping his suspenders as he skated to center ice and fixing the audience with a wink.
British Dictionary definitions for wink

wink1

/wɪŋk/
verb
1.
(intransitive) 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.
(transitive; foll by away, back, etc) to force away (tears, etc) by winking
4.
(transitive) to signal with a wink
5.
(intransitive) (of a light) to gleam or flash intermittently
noun
6.
a winking movement, esp one conveying a signal, etc, or such a signal
7.
an interrupted flashing of light
8.
a brief moment of time; instant
9.
(informal) the smallest amount, esp of sleep See also forty winks
10.
(Brit, informal) tip the wink, to give a hint
Word Origin
Old English wincian; related to Old Saxon wincon, Old High German winchan, German winken to wave. See wench, winch

wink2

/wɪŋk/
noun
1.
a disc used in the game of tiddlywinks
Word Origin
C20: shortened from tiddlywinks
Word Origin and History for wink
v.

Old English wincian "to nod, wink," from Proto-Germanic *wenkanan (cf. Dutch wenken, Old High German winkan, German winken), a gradational variant of the root of Old High German wankon "to stagger, totter," Old Norse vakka "to stray, hover," from PIE *weng- "to bend, curve." The meaning "close an eye as a hint or signal" is first recorded c.1100; that of "close one's eyes to fault or irregularity" first attested late 15c. Related: Winked; winking.

n.

c.1300, from wink (v.); meaning "very brief moment of time" is attested from 1580s.

wink in Medicine

wink (wĭngk)
v. winked, wink·ing, winks

  1. To close and open the eyelid of one eye deliberately, as to convey a message, signal, or suggestion.

  2. To close and open the eyelids of both eyes; blink.

n.
A quick closing and opening of the eyelids; a blink.
Related Abbreviations for wink

WINK

windowed eat-in kitchen
Idioms and Phrases with wink

wink

In addition to the idiom beginning with
wink
also see: