Blink
to open and close the eye, especially involuntarily; wink rapidly and repeatedly.
to look with winking or half-shut eyes:
I blinked at the harsh morning light.
to be startled, surprised, or dismayed (usually followed by at):
She blinked at his sudden fury.
to look evasively or with indifference; ignore (often followed by at):
to blink at another’s eccentricities.
to shine unsteadily, dimly, or intermittently; twinkle:
The light on the buoy blinked in the distance.
to open and close (the eye or eyes), usually rapidly and repeatedly; wink:
She blinked her eyes in an effort to wake up.
to cause (something) to blink:
We blinked the flashlight frantically, but there was no response.
to ignore deliberately; evade; shirk.
an act of blinking:
The faithful blink of the lighthouse.
a gleam; glimmer:
There was not a blink of light anywhere.
Chiefly Scot. a glance or glimpse.
Meteorology.
iceblink.
snowblink.
on the blink, not in proper working order; in need of repair:
The washing machine is on the blink again.
Contemporary Examples
Don’t Call Sally Ride a Lesbian Amy Siskind August 1, 2012
The Most Anticipated Culture Events of 2014: ‘Inherent Vice,’ ‘Divergent,’ and More December 31, 2013
Why Do We Hate Hipsters So F’ing Much? Ted Gioia July 12, 2014
Steve Bing Takes a Hit Kim Masters March 29, 2010
The ‘Morning Joe’-ification of Eric Cantor Ben Jacobs November 16, 2014
Historical Examples
Beyond The Thunder H. B. Hickey
Tiverton Tales Alice Brown
Sign of the Green Arrow Roy J. (Roy Judson) Snell
The Incomplete Amorist E. Nesbit
Hours in a Library Leslie Stephen
verb
to close and immediately reopen (the eyes or an eye), usually involuntarily
(intransitive) to look with the eyes partially closed, as in strong sunlight
to shine intermittently, as in signalling, or unsteadily
(transitive; foll by away, from, etc) to clear the eyes of (dust, tears, etc)
when tr, usually foll by at. to be surprised or amazed: he blinked at the splendour of the ceremony
when intr, foll by at. to pretend not to know or see (a fault, injustice, etc)
noun
the act or an instance of blinking
a glance; glimpse
short for iceblink (sense 1)
(slang) on the blink, not working properly
v.
n.
see: on the blink
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to open and close the eye, especially involuntarily; wink rapidly and repeatedly. to look with winking or half-shut eyes: I blinked at the harsh morning light. to be startled, surprised, or dismayed (usually followed by at): She blinked at his sudden fury. to look evasively or with indifference; ignore (often followed by at): to blink […]
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a device for flashing light signals. a light that flashes intermittently, especially one that serves as a traffic signal. either of two leather flaps on a bridle, to prevent a horse from seeing sideways; a blinder. to put blinkers on. Historical Examples The Trimmed Lamp O. Henry The Trimmed Lamp O. Henry Sally Scott of […]
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narrow-minded and subjective; unwilling to understand another viewpoint. having blinkers on; fitted with blinkers. a device for flashing light signals. a light that flashes intermittently, especially one that serves as a traffic signal. either of two leather flaps on a bridle, to prevent a horse from seeing sideways; a blinder. to put blinkers on. Contemporary […]