eye-winker

A small eye-winker makes the child blink.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Eyelash: "eye-winker" is an informal term referring to an eyelash, the short hairs that grow on the edge of the eyelid.
   • Irritant in the eye: "eye-winker" can also mean any small foreign object (such as dust or an eyelash) that causes blinking or irritation in the eye.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She had a long eye-winker that kept brushing against her cheek. (An eyelash that was unusually long.)
  • I got an eye-winker stuck in my eye while walking in the wind. (A small irritant causing discomfort and blinking.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have an eye-winker": to experience irritation from a foreign object in the eye.
  • He couldn't see clearly because he had an eye-winker in his left eye. (A small particle causing blurred vision.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eyelash (n): the standard term for the hairs on the eyelid.

  • Her eyelashes were long and dark. (The hairs on the edge of the eyelid.)

• Wink (v): to close and open one eye quickly, often as a signal or due to irritation.

  • He winked at her from across the room. (He closed one eye briefly as a gesture.)

Synonyms

• Eyelash: the hair on the eyelid.
• Cilia: the medical term for eyelashes (plural of cilium).
• Lash: a shortened form of eyelash.

Related Idioms

• Not bat an eye: to show no surprise or reaction; unrelated to eye-winker but uses eye imagery.

  • He didn't bat an eye when he heard the shocking news. (He remained calm and unresponsive.)

• In the blink of an eye: very quickly; unrelated to eye-winker but uses eye movement.

  • The car disappeared in the blink of an eye. (Very rapidly.)