blinking
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- (informal, intensifier): Used to add emphasis, often expressing annoyance or surprise, similar to "damn" or "bloody." It is considered mild slang.
- Closing and opening the eyes quickly: The action of shutting and opening the eyes rapidly, often involuntarily.
Noun:
- The act of blinking: The rapid, involuntary closing and opening of the eyelids.
Examples of Usage
Adjective (intensifier):
- That's a blinking difficult puzzle! (That's a very difficult puzzle!)
- Where's the blinking remote control? (Where's the damn remote control?)
Adjective (action):
- The blinking baby fell asleep. (The baby who was blinking fell asleep.)
- She had blinking eyes from the dust. (Her eyes were blinking because of the dust.)
Noun:
- Rapid blinking can be a sign of eye irritation.
- The doctor checked the patient's blinking reflex.
Advanced Usage
"the blinking thing": Used informally to refer to an object whose name one can't recall or to express frustration with it.
- Pass me the blinking thing, will you? (Pass me that thing, will you?)
As a euphemism: "Blinking" is often used as a mild, inoffensive substitute for stronger swear words.
- Well, that's just blinking marvelous, isn't it? (Said sarcastically to mean the opposite.)
Variants and Related Words
- Blink (verb): To shut and open the eyes quickly.
- Don't blink during the photo.
- Blinker (noun): A light on a vehicle that flashes to indicate a turn; or something that obscures vision.
- Turn on your left blinker.
- Blinkered (adjective): Having a limited outlook or understanding; narrow-minded.
- He has a blinkered view of the world.
Synonyms
- Adjective (intensifier): Confounded, flaming, blasted, ruddy.
- Verb/Noun (action): Winking, fluttering (of eyelids), nictitating (technical).
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Blink away: To try to stop tears or clear vision by blinking.
- She blinked away her tears.
- Blink at: To show surprise or disapproval at something.
- He blinked at the outrageous price.
Related Idioms
- On the blink: (Informal) Not working properly; broken.
- The washing machine is on the blink again.
- In the blink of an eye: Extremely quickly; instantaneously.
- The accident happened in the blink of an eye.
Adjective
- informal intensifiers
- what a bally (or blinking) nuisance
- a bloody fool
- a crashing bore
- you flaming idiot
- closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
- he stood blinking in the bright sunlight
Noun
- a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly