/blingk/ , v.i.
1. to open and close the eye, esp. involuntarily; wink rapidly and repeatedly.
2. to look with winking or half-shut eyes: I blinked at the harsh morning light.
3. to be startled, surprised, or dismayed (usually fol. by at ): She blinked at his sudden fury.
4. to look evasively or with indifference; ignore (often fol. by at ): to blink at another's eccentricities.
5. to shine unsteadily, dimly, or intermittently; twinkle: The light on the buoy blinked in the distance.
v.t.
6. to open and close (the eye or eyes), usually rapidly and repeatedly; wink: She blinked her eyes in an effort to wake up.
7. to cause (something) to blink: We blinked the flashlight frantically, but there was no response.
8. to ignore deliberately; evade; shirk.
n.
9. an act of blinking: The faithful blink of the lighthouse.
10. a gleam; glimmer: There was not a blink of light anywhere.
11. Chiefly Scot. a glance or glimpse.
12. Meteorol.
a. iceblink.
b. snowblink.
13. on the blink , not in proper working order; in need of repair: The washing machine is on the blink again.
[ 1250-1300; ME blinken (v.), var. of blenken to BLENCH 1 ; c. D, G blinken ]
Syn. 1. See wink 1 . 8. overlook, disregard, avoid, condone. 9. wink, flicker, twinkle, flutter.