1. Closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
   "he stood blinking in the bright sunlight";
   - winking
    
2. [Brit, informal] Informal intensifier
   "what a blinking nuisance";
   - bally [Brit, informal], bloody [Brit, informal], blooming [Brit, informal], crashing [informal], flaming [informal], freaking [informal], effing [Brit, informal]

1. A reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly
   "Excessive blinking can be a sign of eye irritation";
   - blink, eye blink, wink, winking, nictitation [technical], nictation [technical]

1. Briefly shut the eyes
   "The TV announcer never seems to blink";
   - wink, nictitate, nictate
    
2. Keep back by blinking
   "blink away tears";
   - wink, blink away
    
3. Gleam or glow intermittently
   "The lights were blinking";
   - flash, wink, twinkle, winkle [rare]

Derived forms: blinkings

See also: closed, shut, unmitigated

Type of: act involuntarily, act reflexively, hold back, inborn reflex, innate reflex, instinctive reflex, keep, keep back, physiological reaction, radiate, reflex, reflex action, reflex response, restrain, unconditioned reflex

Encyclopedia: Blinking