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

1. A reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly
   "She couldn't help but wink when the bright light flashed";
   - blink, eye blink, blinking, winking, nictitation [technical], nictation [technical]
    
2. Closing one eye quickly as a signal
   "He gave her a playful wink across the room"
    
3. [informal] A very short time
   "if I had the chance I'd do it in a wink";
   - blink of an eye [informal], flash, heartbeat, instant, jiffy [informal], split second, trice, twinkling [informal], New York minute [US, informal], jiff [informal]

Derived forms: winked, winking, winks

Type of: act involuntarily, act reflexively, bit, facial expression, facial gesture, gesticulate, gesture, hold back, inborn reflex, innate reflex, instinctive reflex, keep, keep back, minute, mo, moment, motion, physiological reaction, radiate, reflex, reflex action, reflex response, restrain, second, unconditioned reflex

Encyclopedia: Wink, The