wink at

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Related to wink at: wink out

wink

(wĭngk)

v. winked, wink·ing, winks

v.intr.

1. To close and open the eyelid of one eye deliberately, as to convey a message, signal, or suggestion.

2. To close and open the eyelids of both eyes; blink.

3. To shine fitfully; twinkle: Harbor lights were winking in the distance.

v.tr.

1. To close and open (an eye or the eyes) rapidly.

2. To signal or express by winking: winked his agreement.

a. The act of winking.

b. A signal or hint conveyed by winking.

2. The very brief time required for a wink; an instant.

3. A quick closing and opening of the eyelids; a blink.

4. A gleam or twinkle.

5. Informal A brief period of sleep.

Phrasal Verbs:

wink at

To pretend not to see: winked at corruption in the ministry.

wink out

To come to a close; end.

[Middle English winken, to close one's eyes, from Old English wincian.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

wink at

(intr, preposition) to connive at; disregard: the authorities winked at corruption.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

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Verb

wink at - give one's silent approval to

connive at

encourage, promote, further, boost, advance - contribute to the progress or growth of; "I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom"

wink

verb

1. To open and close the eyes rapidly:

bat, blink, nictate, nictitate, twinkle.

2. To shine with intermittent gleams:

blink, flash, flicker, glimmer, twinkle.

3. To emit light suddenly in rays or sparks:

coruscate, flash, glance, gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glister, glitter, scintillate, shimmer, spangle, sparkle, twinkle.

phrasal verb
wink at

To pretend not to see:

blink (at), connive at, disregard, ignore, pass over.

Idioms: be blind to, close one's eyes to, look the other way, turn a blind eye to.

noun

1. A brief closing of the eyes:

blink, nictation, nictitation.

2. A very brief time:

crack, flash, instant, minute, moment, second, trice, twinkle, twinkling.

Informal: jiff, jiffy.

Chiefly British: tick.

3. A sudden quick light:

blink, coruscation, flash, flicker, glance, gleam, glimmer, glint, spark, twinkle.

References in classic literature ?

I did not wink at you." She then sat still five minutes longer; but unable to waste such a precious occasion, she suddenly got up, and saying to Kitty, "Come here, my love, I want to speak to you," took her out of the room.

View in context

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.