# wink

/ˈwɪŋk/ (US) · /wˈɪŋk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wink
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to signal with one eye

verb · CEFR B1

to quickly close and open one eye as a secret signal to someone.

For teachers: to close and open one eyelid rapidly as a signal of shared knowledge, affection, or suggestion.

- He winked at me from across the room to show he was joking.
- The witness winked at his lawyer during the cross-examination, suggesting that the previous statement had been a deliberate exaggeration.

Usage: Often used with 'at' to indicate the recipient of the signal.

### 2. to flicker

verb · CEFR B2 · Literary

to shine with a light that goes on and off quickly.

For teachers: to shine or gleam intermittently; to flicker or twinkle.

- The distant lights of the city winked in the dark night.
- The lighthouse beam winked rhythmically on the horizon, providing a steady guide for the ships navigating the treacherous coastal waters.

### 3. to ignore something

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to pretend not to see something bad that is happening.

For teachers: to deliberately overlook or ignore an occurrence, typically something illicit or improper.

- The guards were paid to wink at the smuggling happening at the docks.
- Historians argue that the local authorities chose to wink at the illegal trade because it provided the only source of income for the starving village.

Usage: Almost always used in the phrase 'wink at'.

### 4. a signal with one eye

noun · CEFR B1

the act of closing and opening one eye quickly.

For teachers: an instance of winking used as a gesture or signal.

- She gave me a quick wink to let me know she was just kidding.
- A subtle wink from the auctioneer confirmed that the secret bid had been accepted without alerting the other participants.

### 5. a short sleep

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a very short period of sleep.

For teachers: a brief moment of sleep; most commonly found in the idiom 'forty winks'.

- I didn't get a wink of sleep because the neighbors were so loud.
- After a long flight, he managed to catch forty winks in the taxi before his first meeting of the day.

Usage: Commonly used in the negative 'not a wink' to mean no sleep at all.

## Examples

- He gave me a quick wink to show he was joking.
- She didn't say anything, but she did wink at me to let me know the surprise was ready.
- The comedian would often wink at the front row after a particularly sharp joke, signaling that his stage persona was distinct from his actual opinions.

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