verb

wink

WIHNGK

verb

To close and quickly reopen one eye as a signal, joke, or private message to someone.

"She winked at him across the table so only he would notice."

"The waiter winked and slipped us the last slice for free."

To blink both eyes quickly, often without meaning to.

"The bright flash made him wink involuntarily."

Followed by "at": to deliberately ignore something, pretending not to notice.

"The manager winked at the minor rule-breaking as long as sales stayed high."

To flicker or gleam unsteadily, like a light in the distance.

"Stars winked through gaps in the clouds."

noun

The act of winking, or the private signal sent by doing so.

"He gave her a knowing wink as he left the room."

A very short amount of sleep, especially in the phrase "forty winks."

"I just need forty winks before the drive home."

How to Use Wink

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishQuickly closing one eye (or both) — usually on purpose, to signal a joke, secret, or flirtation.

Common mistake

"Wink at" someone (a signal) is different from "wink at" a problem (turning a blind eye to it) — context makes the meaning clear.

Common pairings

give a wink wink at each other forty winks a knowing wink

winked past tense, winks plural, winks plural, winks plural, winks singular

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Test yourself on “wink” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

She _____ at him across the table so only he would notice.

From Old English wincian, "to close the eyes, blink, or make a sign," going back to a Proto-Germanic root shared with words meaning to bend or bow.

nictitate

blink

ink pink link mink oink sink kink dink fink rink tink bink

nictitate blink