Blink Meaning
/blɪŋk/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo close and reopen both eyes quickly.
verbTo close and reopen both eyes quickly., To close and reopen one's eyes to remove (something) from on or around the eyes.
Sentence Examples
The TV is on the blink.
The police usually blink at cars parked here.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She tried not to ____ during the staring contest, but her eyes began to water.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I saw a bright light ____ in the distance during the whole storm.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitter, shine”), German blinken (“to flash, blink”), Danish blinke (“to flash, twinkle, wink, blink”), Swedish blinka (“to flash, blink, twinkle, wink, blink”). Related to blank, blick, blike, bleak.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"One eye was blinking, and one leg was lame."
— 1715–1720, Homer, translated by Alexander Pope, “Book II”, in The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
"Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne."
— c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
"The dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink."
— 1800, William Wordsworth, The Pet-Lamb:
"The sun blinked fair on pool and stream."
— 1803, Walter Scott, Thomas the Rhymer:
"Now exile is over, I'll fly to the north,
The home of my childhood, the place of my birth;
O the transports of gladness that over me reign,
To blink upon canny Newcastle again!"
— 1850, J. P. Robson, editor, Songs of the bards of the Tyne; or, A choice selection of original songs chiefly in the Newcastle dialect., page 485:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She tried not to ____ during the staring contest, but her eyes began to water.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I saw a bright light ____ in the distance during the whole storm.