Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Closing and opening the eyes quickly and repeatedly: Describes the action of blinking one or both eyes rapidly, often involuntarily or as a signal.
   • Gleaming or shining intermittently: Describes something, like a light or star, that flashes on and off.

2. Noun:

   • The act of blinking the eyes: The rapid closing and opening of the eyelid.
   • A rapid, involuntary reflex of the eyelid: A quick blink, often in response to bright light or an irritant.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The winking lights of the distant tower guided the ships. (The intermittently shining lights of the distant tower guided the ships.)
  • He gave a winking signal to his friend across the room. (He gave a signal by rapidly closing and opening his eye to his friend across the room.)

• Noun:

  • Her constant winking was due to the dust in the air. (Her constant rapid blinking was due to the dust in the air.)
  • A sudden winking is a natural reflex to protect the eye. (A sudden rapid closing and opening of the eye is a natural reflex to protect it.)

Advanced Usage

• "like winking" (idiom, informal): Very quickly, in an instant.
  • He finished the puzzle like winking. (He finished the puzzle incredibly quickly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wink (verb/noun): The base form meaning to close and open one eye quickly, typically to convey a message or as a reflex.
  • She gave him a friendly wink.
• Blinking (adjective/gerund): Often used synonymously with "winking," especially for the involuntary reflex. Can also express mild annoyance (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Blinking: Fluttering the eyelids.
• Fluttering: Moving quickly and lightly (can apply to eyelids).
• Twinkling: Shining with a flickering light (for the adjective sense).

Related Phrases

• To wink at someone: To close and open one eye deliberately as a signal of shared understanding, friendship, or flirtation.
  • He winked at me to show he was joking.
• To wink at something (idiom): To pretend not to notice something wrong or illicit; to tacitly allow it.
  • The authorities seemed to wink at the minor violations.

Related Idioms

• In the wink of an eye / In a wink: Extremely quickly.
  • The magician made the coin disappear in the wink of an eye.
• Forty winks: A short nap.
  • I'm just going to catch forty winks before dinner.

Adjective

1. closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
   • he stood blinking in the bright sunlight

Noun

1. a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly