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.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) The act of quickly closing both eyes and opening them again.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) The time needed to close and reopen one's eyes.
(countable, uncountable) A text formatting feature that causes text to disappear and reappear as a form of visual emphasis.
I can think of no good reason to use blink because blinking text and images are annoying, they mark the creator as an amateur, and they have poor browser support. 2007, Cheryl D. Wise, Foundations of Microsoft Expression Web: The Basics and Beyond, page 150:
(countable, uncountable) A glimpse or glance.
This is the first blink that ever I had of him. 1612–1634, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in [Contemplations vpon the Principall Passages of the Holy Storie], volume (please specify |volume=I to VIII), London, →OCLC:
Not a blink of light was there. 1835, William Wordsworth, Address from the Spirit of Cockermouth Castle:
this man vanished away […]as he had been a blink of the sun 1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “(please specify the introduction or canto number, or chapter name)”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: […] J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC:
(countable, uncountable) The dazzling whiteness about the horizon caused by the reflection of light from fields of ice at sea; iceblink
(countable, in-plural, uncountable) Boughs cast where deer are to pass, in order to turn or check them.
(countable, uncountable) An ability that allows teleporting, mostly for short distances
fr coup d’œil (a quick view) · pt olhadela (a quick view) · pt piscadela (closing both eyes and opening them again) · de Blinzeln (closing both eyes and opening them again) · ru мига́ние (closing both eyes and opening them again) · ro clipire (closing both eyes and opening them again) · ru морга́ние (closing both eyes and opening them again) · sv ögonblick (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · unm spànkweokàn (closing both eyes and opening them again) · fi silmänräpäys (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · fi silmänräpäytys (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · ar رَمْشَة (closing both eyes and opening them again) · es parpadeo (closing both eyes and opening them again) · ro clipă (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · bg мигане (closing both eyes and opening them again) · de Blinzeln (a view with eyes partly closed) · bg примигване (closing both eyes and opening them again) · ka ახამხამებს (closing both eyes and opening them again) · sv blinka (closing both eyes and opening them again) · fi silmänräpäytys (closing both eyes and opening them again) · de Wimpernschlag (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · it in un batter d'occhio (a quick view) · it battito di ciglia (closing both eyes and opening them again) · fr clignement (closing both eyes and opening them again) · fi silmänräpäys (closing both eyes and opening them again) · cs mrknutí (a quick view) · alt кӧс јумыш (closing both eyes and opening them again) · de Augenblick (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · fr clin d’œil (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · ru миг (a quick view) · ja チラ見 (a quick view) · it occhiata (a quick view) · pt piscada (closing both eyes and opening them again) · gd caogadh (closing both eyes and opening them again) · bg миг (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · de Lidschlag (closing both eyes and opening them again) · de flüchtiger Blick (a quick view) · it battito di ciglia (a quick view) · ro clipit (closing both eyes and opening them again) · ro clipită (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · gd priobadh (the time needed to close and reopen one's eyes) · az qırpım (closing both eyes and opening them again) · gd priobadh (closing both eyes and opening them again)
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.
Meanings
(intransitive) To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
The loser in the staring game is the person who blinks first.
(intransitive, transitive) To close and reopen both eyes quickly. ▸ To close and reopen one's eyes to remove (something) from on or around the eyes.
She blinked her tears away.
(intransitive) To close and reopen both eyes quickly. ▸ To wink; to twinkle with, or as with, the eye.
One eye was blinking, and one leg was lame. 1715–1720, Homer, “Book II”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
(intransitive) To close and reopen both eyes quickly. ▸ To see with the eyes half shut, or indistinctly and with frequent winking, as a person with weak eyes.
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]:
(intransitive) To close and reopen both eyes quickly. ▸ To shine, especially with intermittent light; to twinkle; to flicker; to glimmer, as a lamp.
The sun blinked fair on pool and stream. 1803, Walter Scott, Thomas the Rhymer:
The dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink. 1800, William Wordsworth, The Pet-Lamb:
(Geordie, intransitive, obsolete) To close and reopen both eyes quickly. ▸ To glance.
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:
To flash on and off at regular intervals.
The blinking text on the screen was distracting.
To flash on and off at regular intervals. ▸ To flash headlights on a car at.
An urban legend claims that gang members will attack anyone who blinks them.
To flash on and off at regular intervals. ▸ To send a signal with a lighting device.
Don't come to the door until I blink twice.
(excessive) To perform the smallest action that could solicit a response.
All the waiters in your grand cafe / Leave their tables when you blink. 1980, Billy Joel, “Don't Ask Me Why”, in Glass Houses, Columbia Records:
(in negative constructions) To have the slightest doubt, hesitation or remorse.
The soldier shot the intruders without so much as blinking.
(transitive) To shut the eyes to (something); to evade, ignore.
It is no use blinking the unpleasant fact. 1921, Montagu Lomax, The Experiences of an Asylum Doctor, page 63:
I have no wish to blink or extenuate the serious nature of the difficulty arising from this discrepancy of dates. 1900, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 3, page 199:
"Well, it's no good blinking facts. We had better clear out soon. If not tomorrow, then the day after." 1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 92:
(transitive) To deceive; to hoodwink.
"But I beg of you never more to commit her to my keeping, for I would sooner take charge of, and be accountable for, all the swine in Saxony than for one such woman, so many were the artifices and plots she devised to blink me." 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 69:
To turn slightly sour, or blinky, as beer, milk, etc.
gd caog (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru мигать (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · be міга́ць (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ar رَمَشَ (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · es guiñar (to flash headlights) · sv blinka (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fi räpäyttää silmiä (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fr ciller (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fr clignoter (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · kk жыпылықтату (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · nrf blyîntchi (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · uk мигну́ти (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · bg премигвам (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · hu villog (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · tr göz kırpmak (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · la palpebrō (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ckb تروکاندن (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · el ανοιγοκλείνω (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru мига́ть (to flash headlights) · it ammiccare (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · de morsen (to send a signal with a lighting device) · sk mrkať (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pt piscar (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · be мігну́ць (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pl migać (to flash headlights) · sv blinka (to flash headlights) · pt piscar (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · is blikka (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · uk моргну́ти (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · la nicto (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru мигну́ть (to flash headlights) · my မျက်စိမှိတ် (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · cs mrknout (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fo blinkstra (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fi räpyttää silmiä (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · nl knipperen (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · gl chiscar (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pl mrugać (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ja 瞬く (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · mk блиндирам (to flash headlights) · svs abuzaghi (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · it intermittenza (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · ru мигну́ть (to send a signal with a lighting device) · it segnalare (to send a signal with a lighting device) · kk жыпылықтау (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · alt кӧзин јумар (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fr clignoter (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · cmn 眨 (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · is depla (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · be марга́ць (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pl migać (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · gl lampexar (to flash headlights) · cmn 眨眼 (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ajp رمش (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ko 눈을 깜박이다 (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · eo palpebrumi (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · vi nhấp nháy (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · qu ch'illmipakuy (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · it lampeggiare (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · ro clipi (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · sv blinka (to send a signal with a lighting device) · la conniveo (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fa چشمک زدن (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru моргну́ть (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru мига́ть (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ang wincian (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ja まばたきする (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ka დახუჭვა (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ka დახამხამება (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · id mengedipkan (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · nb blinke (to flash headlights) · hi पलक मारना (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pl mignąć (to flash headlights) · io palpebragar (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ja パッシングする (to flash headlights) · gl piscar (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · de mit der Wimper zucken (hyperbole: to perform the smallest action) · egy V13:D21-G17-D6 (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · be маргну́ць (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · hy թարթել (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · da blinke (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · uk мига́ти (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · de blinzeln (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · mk трепкам (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · nl flitsen (to flash headlights) · nb blunke (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru мига́ть (to send a signal with a lighting device) · pl mrugnąć (to send a signal with a lighting device) · es destellar (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · nrf clyinn'ter (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · km ប៉ប្រិច (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · no blinke (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · gl faiscar (to flash headlights) · lo ພັບຕາ (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · bg мигам (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ja 瞬く (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fr faire un appel de phares (to flash headlights) · fo blunka (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · es titilar (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · ko 눈을 깜박거리다 (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pl mrugać (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · alt кӧс тӱмер (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · de blinken (to send a signal with a lighting device) · az qırpmaq (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · th กะพริบ (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · he מצמץ (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · es parpadear (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · ru морга́ть (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · hu pislog (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · pl mrugnąć (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ru мигну́ть (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · it sbattere le ciglia (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fi väläyttää valoja (to flash headlights) · gl lampexar (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · uk морга́ти (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ja 点滅する (to send a signal with a lighting device) · hu pislog (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · gl choscar (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · sk mrknúť (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fa چشمکزدن (to send a signal with a lighting device) · pt piscar (to flash headlights) · cs bliknout (to flash headlights) · cs blikat (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · th กะพริบ (to flash headlights) · es pestañear (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · nb blinke (to send a signal with a lighting device) · km ព្រិច (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · th กะพริบ (to send a signal with a lighting device) · de mit den Fingern schnippen (hyperbole: to perform the smallest action) · de aufblenden (to flash headlights) · de lichthupen (to flash headlights) · fi välkkyä (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · de blinken (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · gd priob (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fa پلک زدن (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · ky көз кысуу (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · cs mrkat (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · fi välkyttää (to send a signal with a lighting device) · hu pislant (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · bg примигвам (to flash headlights) · th กะพริบ (to flash on and off at regular intervals) · la nictor (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · es parpadear (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · it lampeggiare (to flash headlights) · fr cligner des yeux (to close and reopen both eyes quickly) · cmn 眨眼睛 (to close and reopen both eyes quickly)