Wink Definition

wĭngk

winked, winking, winks

verb

winked, winking, winks

To close the eyelids and open them again quickly.

Webster's New World

To close one eyelid and open it again quickly, as a signal, etc.

Webster's New World

To move, remove, etc. by winking.

To wink back tears.

Webster's New World

To make (the eyes or an eye) wink.

Webster's New World

To be closed and opened in this way.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

noun

winks

The act of winking.

Webster's New World

The time occupied by this; an instant.

Webster's New World

A signal, hint, etc. given by winking.

Webster's New World

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

American Heritage

A tiny interval (of sleep)

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

idiom

wink at

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Wink

Singular:

wink

Plural:

From Middle English winken (strong verb) and Middle English winken (weak verb), from Old English *wincan (strong verb) and wincian (“to wink, make a sign, close the eyes, blink", weak verb), from Proto-Germanic *winkanÄ… (“to move side to side, sway"), *winkōnÄ… (“to close one's eyes"), from Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve"). Cognate with Middle Low German winken (“to blink, wink"), German winken (“to nod, beckon, make a sign"). Related also to East Frisian wäänke, Dutch wenken (“to beckon, motion"), Latin vacillare (“sway"), Lithuanian véngti (“to swerve, avoid"), Albanian vang (“tire, felloe"), Sanskrit [script?] (vañcati, “he swaggers"). [Devanagari?]

From Wiktionary
Middle English winken to close one's eyes from Old English wincian

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition