WINK


Meaning of WINK in English

/ wɪŋk; NAmE / verb , noun

■ verb

1.

wink (at sb) [ v ] to close one eye and open it again quickly, especially as a private signal to sb, or to show sth is a joke :

He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was.

—compare blink

2.

[ v ] to shine with an unsteady light; to flash on and off

SYN blink :

We could see the lights of the ship winking in the distance.

PHRASAL VERBS

- wink at sth

■ noun

an act of winking , especially as a signal to sb :

He gave her a knowing wink.

—see also forty winks

IDIOMS

- not get / have a wink of sleep | not sleep a wink

—more at nod noun , nudge noun , tip verb

••

WORD ORIGIN

Old English wincian close the eyes , of Germanic origin; related to German winken to wave, also to wince .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.