blink

¹blink

verb \ˈbliŋk\

Definition of BLINK

intransitive verb

1

a obsolete : to look glancingly : peep

b : to look with half-shut eyes

c : to close and open the eyes involuntarily

2

: to shine dimly or intermittently

3

a : to look with too little concern

b : to look with surprise or dismay

4

: yield, give in <each side waiting for the other to blink>

transitive verb

1

a : to cause to blink

b : to remove (as tears) from the eye by blinking

2

: to deny recognition to

Examples of BLINK

1. She blinked when the light flashed.
2. Her eyes blinked when the light flashed.
3. She blinked her eyes when the light flashed.

Origin of BLINK

Middle English, to open one's eyes

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to BLINK

Synonyms

flash, twinkle, wink

Antonyms

resist

Related Words

coruscate, flare, flicker, glance, glimmer, glint, glisten, glister, glitter, scintillate, shimmer, spangle, spark, sparkle

Near Antonyms

contend, fight, hold off; battle, breast, combat, confront, counter, defy, face, meet, object, oppose, repel; thwart, withstand

Rhymes with BLINK

brink, chink, clink, dink, drink, fink, gink, ink, jink, kink, link, mink, pink, plink, prink, rink, shrink, sink, skink, slink, stink, swink, sync, think, wink, zinc

²blink

noun

Definition of BLINK

1

chiefly Scottish : glimpse, glance

2

: glimmer, sparkle

3

: a usually involuntary shutting and opening of the eye

4

: iceblink

— in the blink of an eye

: in an instant

— on the blink

: in or into a disabled or useless condition <the TV is on the blink>

First Known Use of BLINK

1578