wink — to close and open one eye quickly, usually to signal something secretly or playfully to someone
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to close and open one eye quickly, usually to signal something secretly or playfully to someone
Pronunciation (IPA): /wɪŋk/
Example Sentences
- The teacher winked at me, meaning I could leave the answer blank on the quiz.
- My dog seemed to wink at me, but it was probably just blinking dust out of its eye.
- She winked to show she was only joking about eating my lunch.
wink
VERB[/wɪŋk/]
to close and open one eye quickly, usually to signal something secretly or playfully to someone
She gave him a quick wink across the crowded cafe table.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Wink derives from Old English wincian, which comes from a Germanic root meaning 'to close the eyes' or 'to blink'. Originally denoting a simple eye closure or blinking motion, the term gradually narrowed in meaning to specifically refer to the gesture of closing and opening one eye as a deliberate signal or expression.
Breakdown
The word comes from Old English wincian (to close the eyes, to blink), with the suffix -ian marking a verb infinitive. The Germanic root relates to eye closure, with the modern English form wink retaining the core sense of the eye movement while semantically specializing to mean a deliberate one-eyed signal.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The teacher winked at me, meaning I could leave the answer blank on the quiz.”
“My dog seemed to wink at me, but it was probably just blinking dust out of its eye.”
“She winked to show she was only joking about eating my lunch.”
“In some cultures, winking can be seen as rude, so be careful when traveling.”
📚Related Words
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