WINK

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does wink mean? 

• WINK (noun)
  The noun WINK has 3 senses:

1. a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

2. closing one eye quickly as a signal

3. a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly

  Familiarity information: WINK used as a noun is uncommon.

• WINK (verb)
  The verb WINK has 4 senses:

1. signal by winking

2. gleam or glow intermittently

3. briefly shut the eyes

4. keep back by blinking

  Familiarity information: WINK used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WINK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

blink of an eye; flash; heartbeat; instant; jiffy; New York minute; split second; trice; twinkling; wink

Context example:

if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash

Hypernyms ("wink" is a kind of...):

bit; minute; mo; moment; second (an indefinitely short time)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Closing one eye quickly as a signal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("wink" is a kind of...):

facial expression; facial gesture (a gesture executed with the facial muscles)

Derivation:

wink (signal by winking)

wink (keep back by blinking)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

blink; blinking; eye blink; nictation; nictitation; wink; winking

Hypernyms ("wink" is a kind of...):

inborn reflex; innate reflex; instinctive reflex; physiological reaction; reflex; reflex action; reflex response; unconditioned reflex (an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wink"):

palpebration (repeated blinking or winking (especially if uncontrolled and persistent))

Derivation:

wink (briefly shut the eyes)

• WINK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they wink    ... he / she / it winks   
Past simple: winked   
Past participle: winked   
-ing form: winking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Signal by winking

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

She winked at him

Hypernyms (to "wink" is one way to...):

gesticulate; gesture; motion (show, express or direct through movement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

wink (closing one eye quickly as a signal)

winker (a person who winks)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Gleam or glow intermittently

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

blink; flash; twinkle; wink; winkle

Context example:

The lights were flashing

Hypernyms (to "wink" is one way to...):

radiate (cause to be seen by emitting light as if in rays)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wink"):

flick; flicker (flash intermittently)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Briefly shut the eyes

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

blink; nictate; nictitate; wink

Context example:

The TV announcer never seems to blink

Hypernyms (to "wink" is one way to...):

act involuntarily; act reflexively (act in an uncontrolled manner)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wink"):

palpebrate (wink or blink, especially repeatedly)

bat; flutter (wink briefly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

wink (a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly)

winker (a person who winks)

winking (a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Keep back by blinking

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

blink; blink away; wink

Context example:

blink away tears

Hypernyms (to "wink" is one way to...):

hold back; keep; keep back; restrain (prevent the action or expression of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

wink (closing one eye quickly as a signal)

 Context examples 

"Ye'll excoose me, I know, for a-chaffin' of ye, but the old woman here winked at me, which was as much as telling me to go on."

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“I winked off just this very minute, sir. I’m sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Oh, it drives me half-mad to think of it, and I can’t sleep a wink at night.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It seemed to me that something like a wink quivered for an instant over one of Mr. Baynes’s tiny eyes.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Two obstacles of the five being thus removed, Mrs. Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and Catherine for a considerable time, without making any impression on them.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“The elephant butts, you know, sir,” said Mr. Omer, winking, “when he goes at a object. Once, elephant. Twice. Three times!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Three men from a neighboring tent came out and looked on, grinning and winking at one another.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

While Dorothy was looking earnestly into the queer, painted face of the Scarecrow, she was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly wink at her.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

“It is not for a magistrate to wink at the breaking of the law, sir,” he answered.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And with that he winked and pinched me hard.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)