/ 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.
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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
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IDIOMS
- not get / have a wink of sleep | not sleep a wink
—more at nod noun , nudge noun , tip verb
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English wincian close the eyes , of Germanic origin; related to German winken to wave, also to wince .