# nudge nudge wink wink

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/nudge-nudge-wink-wink
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A phrase used to hint that the speaker is euphemistically referring to something else.

## Examples

- He said he was working late, nudge nudge wink wink.
- They are going for a long walk, nudge nudge wink wink.
- He is visiting his cousin in Paris, nudge nudge wink wink.
- When he mentioned his secret meeting at the hotel, he added a nudge nudge wink wink to imply it was actually a date.
- She says they are just friends, nudge nudge wink wink, but they spend every single weekend together at his beach house.
- My boss told me he needs a special favor for his brother's business, nudge nudge wink wink, and I should ignore the usual rules.
- The salesman told me the car had a very interesting history, nudge nudge wink wink, while looking at the dent in the door.
- The politician alluded to the private nature of the agreement with a nudge nudge wink wink, leaving the audience to infer the true, less professional purpose of the trip.

## Origin

Suggests that the speaker is nudging, and winking at, the person to whom the term is directed. Popularized by the Monty Python sketch "Candid Photography" (better known as Nudge Nudge).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.