Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense winks, present participle winking, past tense, past participle winked
1. verb
When you winkat someone, you look towards them and close one eye very briefly, usually as a signal that something isa joke or a secret.
Brian winked at his bride-to-be. [VERB + at]
He smiled, winked and nodded, giving his seal of approval. [VERB]
Synonyms: blink, bat, flutter, nictate More Synonyms of wink
Wink is also a noun.
I gave her a wink.
2. verb
If a lamp winks, it shines or reflects light in short flashes.
From the hotel window, they could see lights winking on the bay. [VERB]
Synonyms: twinkle, flash, shine, sparkle More Synonyms of wink
3.
See not sleep a wink/not get a wink of sleep
More Synonyms of wink
wink in British English1
(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. (tr; 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. tip the wink
Word origin
Old English wincian; related to Old Saxon wincon, Old High German winchan, German winken to wave. See wench, winch
wink in British English2
(wɪŋk)
noun
a disc used in the game of tiddlywinks
Word origin
C20: shortened from tiddlywinks
wink in American English
(wɪŋk)
verb intransitive
1.
to close the eyelids and open them again quickly
2.
a.
to close one eyelid and open it again quickly, as a signal, etc.
b.
to be closed and opened in this way
said of the eye
3.
to shine intermittently; twinkle
verb transitive
4.
to make (the eyes or an eye) wink
5.
to move, remove, etc. by winking
usually with back or away
to wink back tears
6.
to signal or express by winking
noun
7.
the act of winking
8.
a.
the time occupied by this; an instant
b.
a tiny interval (of sleep)
see also forty winks
9.
a signal, hint, etc. given by winking
10.
a twinkle or twinkling
Idioms:
wink at
SYNONYMY NOTE: wink usually implies a deliberate movement in the quick closing and opening of one orboth eyelids one or more times [he winked at her knowingly]; blink implies a rapid series of such movements, usually performed involuntarily and withthe eyes half-shut [to blink in the harsh sunlight]
Word origin
ME winken < OE wincian, akin to Ger winken: see winch
More idioms containing
wink
a nod and a wink
a nod's as good as a wink
a nudge and a wink
not sleep a wink
tip someone the wink
Examples of 'wink' in a sentence
wink
Not a nod and a wink, this.
The Sun (2016)
I can't sleep a wink.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All she could do was wink her right eye.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We had a nod and a wink.
The Sun (2012)
And be sure to give him that wink as you leave the room.
The Sun (2007)
The next morning they both said they did not sleep a wink.
The Sun (2015)
He said hello and he gave me a little cheeky wink.
The Sun (2014)
Too few moments pass in the production without a knowing wink.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Was it a wink or a nod?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In the map room we would have been moving along as an effortless winking of beaded lights.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The entire sport is run on a nod and a wink and no one seems prepared to do anything about it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
So the movements that it makes and the signals that it gives are often nodding andwinking within that language system.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then he winked his eyes again.
Frances Hodgson Burnett Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886)
He did not sleep a wink.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
People can't get a wink of sleep.
The Sun (2009)
It's like binoculars at the wink of an eye.
The Sun (2015)
Some residents can't get a wink of sleep.
The Sun (2009)
So nobody would blame them for not getting a wink last night before making their bow against Portugal.
The Sun (2016)
Did one of them wink?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
With a cheeky wink and a huge smile, she suggested she might be on the social networking site under an alias as well.
The Sun (2012)
A nudge, a wink and a hint that cheap money is here to stay is about the best we're going to get.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
wink
British English: wink /wɪŋk/ VERB
When you wink at someone, you look towards them and close one eye very briefly, usually as a signal that something is a joke or a secret.
He winked at his bride-to-be.
American English: wink
Arabic: يَغْمِزُ
Brazilian Portuguese: piscar os olhos
Chinese: 眨眼
Croatian: namignuti
Czech: mrkat
Danish: blink
Dutch: knipogen
European Spanish: guiñar
Finnish: iskeä silmää
French: cligner de l’œil
German: zwinkern
Greek: κλείνω το μάτι
Italian: strizzare l’occhio
Japanese: ウインクする
Korean: 눈을 깜박거리다
Norwegian: blunke
Polish: mrugnąć
European Portuguese: piscar os olhos
Romanian: a face cu ochiul
Russian: подмигивать
Latin American Spanish: guiñar
Swedish: blinka
Thai: ขยิบตา
Turkish: göz kırpmak
Ukrainian: моргати
Vietnamese: nháy mắt
All related terms of 'wink'
wink at
to connive at; disregard
tip the wink
to give a hint
not sleep a wink
to not be able to go to sleep
a nod and a wink
a situation in which someone communicates something to you by saying it indirectly or by giving you some kind of signal. This expression is usually used to show disapproval , often because something illegal or dishonest is taking place.
a nudge and a wink
said to mean that someone is talking about something in a sly , suggestive way, because the subject is embarrassing or because they may get into trouble if they say it openly
tip someone the wink
to quietly or secretly give someone information that could be important or helpful to them
a nod's as good as a wink
said to mean that it is not necessary to explain something further, because you understand what someone has already told you indirectly
a nudge and a wink/nudge-nudge wink-wink
If you refer to a nudge and a wink or to nudge-nudge wink-wink , you mean that someone is referring to sex in an indirect way.
not sleep a wink/not get a wink of sleep
If you say that you did not sleep a wink or did not get a wink of sleep , you mean that you tried to go to sleep but could not.
Chinese translation of 'wink'
wink
(wɪŋk)
n(c)
[of eye]眨眼 (zhǎyǎn)
vi
[person]眨眼 (zhǎyǎn)
[light]闪(閃)烁(爍) (shǎnshuò)
to give sb a wink, wink at sb向某人眨了眨眼 (xiàng mǒurén zhǎ le zhǎ yǎn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to close and open one eye quickly as a signal
Brian winked an eye at me, giving me his seal of approval.
Synonyms
blink
She was blinking her eyes rapidly.
bat
flutter
a butterfly fluttering its wings
nictate
nictitate
2 (verb)
Definition
(of a light) to shine brightly and intermittently
From the hotel window, they could see lights winking on the bay.
Synonyms
twinkle
At night, lights twinkle in distant villages across the valleys.
flash
Lightning flashed among the distant dark clouds.
shine
It is a mild morning and the sun is shining.
sparkle
His bright eyes sparkled.
gleam
His red sports car gleamed in the sun.
shimmer
The lights shimmered on the water.
glimmer
The moon glimmered faintly through the mists.
1 (noun)
Definition
the act or an instance of winking, esp. as a signal
Diana gave me a reassuring wink.
Synonyms
blink
flutter
nictation
nictitation
2 (noun)
Definition
a twinkling of light
In the distance, he noticed the wink of a red light.
Synonyms
twinkle
A kindly twinkle came into his eyes.
flash
a sudden flash of lightning
sparkle
There was a sparkle in her eye that could not be hidden.
gleam
the gleam of the headlights
blink
glimmering
glimmer
In the east there is the faintest glimmer of light.
idiom
See in the wink of an eye
phrasal verb
See wink at something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of flash
Definition
to shine with a bright light suddenly or repeatedly
Lightning flashed among the distant dark clouds.
Synonyms
blaze,
shine,
beam,
sparkle,
glitter,
flare,
glare,
gleam,
light up,
flicker,
shimmer,
twinkle,
glint,
glisten,
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of flash
Definition
a sudden short blaze of intense light or flame
a sudden flash of lightning
Synonyms
blaze,
ray,
burst,
spark,
beam,
sparkle,
streak,
flare,
dazzle,
shaft,
glare,
gleam,
flicker,
shimmer,
twinkle,
scintillation,
coruscation
in the sense of flutter
Definition
to wave rapidly
a butterfly fluttering its wings
Synonyms
beat,
bat,
flap,
tremble,
shiver,
flicker,
ripple,
waver,
fluctuate,
agitate,
ruffle,
quiver,
vibrate,
palpitate
Synonyms of 'wink'
wink
Explore 'wink' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of gleam
Definition
to shine
His red sports car gleamed in the sun.
Synonyms
shine,
flash,
glance,
glow,
sparkle,
glitter,
flare,
shimmer,
glint,
glimmer,
glisten,
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of gleam
Definition
to move easily and smoothly
the gleam of the headlights
Synonyms
glimmer,
flash,
beam,
glow,
sparkle,
coruscation
in the sense of glimmer
Definition
(of a light) to glow faintly or flickeringly
The moon glimmered faintly through the mists.
Synonyms
gleam,
shine,
glow,
sparkle,
glitter,
blink,
flicker,
shimmer,
twinkle,
glisten
in the sense of glimmer
Definition
a glow or twinkle
In the east there is the faintest glimmer of light.
Synonyms
glow,
ray,
sparkle,
gleam,
blink,
flicker,
shimmer,
twinkle
in the sense of shimmer
Definition
to shine with a faint unsteady light
The lights shimmered on the water.
Synonyms
gleam,
twinkle,
glimmer,
dance,
glisten,
scintillate
in the sense of shine
Definition
to give off or reflect light
It is a mild morning and the sun is shining.
Synonyms
gleam,
flash,
beam,
glow,
sparkle,
glitter,
glare,
shimmer,
radiate,
twinkle,
glimmer,
glisten,
emit light,
give off light,
scintillate
in the sense of sparkle
Definition
to glitter with many bright points of light
His bright eyes sparkled.
Synonyms
glitter,
flash,
spark,
shine,
beam,
glow,
gleam,
wink,
shimmer,
twinkle,
dance,
glint,
glisten,
glister (archaic),
scintillate,
coruscate
in the sense of sparkle
Definition
a small bright point of light
There was a sparkle in her eye that could not be hidden.