Definition

1. Noun:

   • A rapid closing and opening of one eye: A wink is a quick, deliberate closing and opening of one eye, often used as a signal or gesture.
   • A very brief period of time: A wink can also refer to an extremely short amount of time, as quick as an eye blink.
   • A hint or signal: Informally, it can mean a subtle hint or secret signal given to someone.

2. Verb:

   • To close and open one eye quickly: To wink is to deliberately close and open one eye, typically to convey a message, a shared secret, or flirtation.
   • To shine intermittently: To wink can mean to flash or gleam on and off quickly, like a distant light.
   • To ignore or pretend not to see: To wink at something means to deliberately overlook or ignore it, often something wrong.

Examples

• Noun:

  • He gave me a conspiratorial wink.
  • I'll be back in a wink.
  • She gave him the wink to start the plan.

• Verb:

  • She winked at me from across the room.
  • The stars winked in the clear night sky.
  • The authorities chose to wink at the minor infraction.

Advanced Usage

• "not sleep a wink": to not sleep at all.

  • I was so anxious that I didn't sleep a wink last night.

• "in the wink of an eye": very quickly; almost instantly.

  • The magician made the coin disappear in the wink of an eye.

• "tip someone the wink": to give someone a discreet warning or piece of information.

  • My colleague tipped me the wink about the upcoming changes.

Variants and Related Words

• Winker (n): (informal) A person who winks.
• Winkingly (adv): In a winking manner.

Synonyms

• Noun: Blink, twinkle, instant, moment, nictitation (technical for the reflex).
• Verb: Blink, nictitate (technical), twinkle, flash, gleam, ignore, connive at.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wink at: To pretend not to notice or to ignore (something illicit or wrong).
  • The manager was accused of winking at safety violations.

Related Idioms

• Forty winks: A short nap or light sleep.
  • I'm just going to catch forty winks before dinner.

Noun

1. a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly
2. closing one eye quickly as a signal
3. a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
   • if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash

Verb

1. force to go away by blinking
   • blink away tears
2. briefly shut the eyes
   • The TV announcer never seems to blink
3. gleam or glow intermittently
   • The lights were flashing
4. signal by winking
   • She winked at him