wink
wink Lexical Profile
wink Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An act of closing and opening one eye quickly, typically as a subtle signal, greeting, or sign of amusement.
"She gave him a knowing wink across the crowded room to let him know she understood the joke."
A very brief period of time, or a short duration of sleep.
"I didn't sleep a wink last night because the neighbor's dog was barking constantly."
A momentary gleam or flash of light.
"The sailor navigated by the faint wink of the distant lighthouse."
• verb
To close and open one eye quickly, often as a deliberate signal, secret understanding, or expression of affection.
"The grandfather winked at the little boy as he slipped an extra piece of candy into his pocket."
To shine or flash on and off intermittently.
"City lights winked in the distance as the airplane began its final descent."
To pretend not to notice or deliberately ignore an illicit or improper action (often followed by 'at').
"The corrupt official winked at the blatant safety violations occurring on the construction site."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often contrasted with 'blink'; a 'wink' is typically a deliberate, one-eyed gesture used to signal, whereas a 'blink' usually involves both eyes and is involuntary.
• Rhymes for wink
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'wincian' meaning 'to close the eyes', of Germanic origin. It is related to the German word 'winken' (to wave or signal).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.