Wink
verb
To close and open one eye quickly to tell a secret message or joke.
She winked at me to let me know she was joking.
Often appears as...
- wink at someone
- wink knowingly
verb
To shine with a light that turns on and off.
The stars winked in the dark sky.
Often appears as...
- wink on
- wink off
noun
The act of closing and opening one eye quickly.
He greeted me with a wink.
Often appears as...
- give a wink
- with a wink
verb
To pretend to not see or ignore something.
The referee seemed to wink at some of the team's fouls.
Often appears as...
- wink at something
- wink at misbehavior
Usage tips
Colloquial
verb
To close and open one eye quickly to tell a secret message or joke.
She winked at me to let me know she was joking.
Often appears as...
- wink at someone
- wink knowingly
verb
To shine with a light that turns on and off.
The stars winked in the dark sky.
Often appears as...
- wink on
- wink off
noun
The act of closing and opening one eye quickly.
He greeted me with a wink.
Often appears as...
- give a wink
- with a wink
verb
To pretend to not see or ignore something.
The referee seemed to wink at some of the team's fouls.
Often appears as...
- wink at something
- wink at misbehavior
Usage tips
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Secret Signal
A wink can be a private indication that others aren't meant to understand.
He winked, signaling me to play along with the surprise.
Pro Tip 2/3Humor Cue
A wink can show that a statement is not serious but meant in a humorous way.
After the joke, she winked to show she was teasing.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Variance
Be mindful of cultural differences; winking can be inappropriate or misunderstood in some cultures.
In his culture, winking is considered rude, so he never uses it.
Pro Tip 1/3Secret Signal
A wink can be a private indication that others aren't meant to understand.
He winked, signaling me to play along with the surprise.
Pro Tip 2/3Humor Cue
A wink can show that a statement is not serious but meant in a humorous way.
After the joke, she winked to show she was teasing.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Variance
Be mindful of cultural differences; winking can be inappropriate or misunderstood in some cultures.
In his culture, winking is considered rude, so he never uses it.
Pro Tip 1/3Secret Signal
A wink can be a private indication that others aren't meant to understand.
He winked, signaling me to play along with the surprise.
Pro Tip 2/3Humor Cue
A wink can show that a statement is not serious but meant in a humorous way.
After the joke, she winked to show she was teasing.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Variance
Be mindful of cultural differences; winking can be inappropriate or misunderstood in some cultures.
In his culture, winking is considered rude, so he never uses it.
Never forget "Wink"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
What it's like to have...
I'm going to deal with it for the rest of my life. And that means that I have to frequently excuse myself from my classroom, because my verbal tics can be extremely distracting. That means that sometimes when I wink my eyes involuntarily, the guy sitting opposite from me thinks I'm flirting with him, when I'm really not.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 121 PIPE...
where she went and I did ask on the radio he was the last person with her and so I come down the tree and it was yours fun buffle suck and he then responded and said as soon as she dropped to the floor he couldn't see where she winked so we've been checking around and around and around to see if
Video examples
3 clues to understanding...
I mean, you know it's you because you wink and it winks, and you know it's a mirror, but you don't really recognize yourself as yourself. OK. Now that syndrome is well known as caused by damage to the fusiform gyrus. But there's another rare syndrome, so rare, in fact,
Video examples
Cooking With Cannabis PIPE...
I don't know if you've ever been too high off an edible. I know you said that you've never tried any. Chris, don't do that wink. For those of you that have, sometimes it can be extremely overwhelming. So we only put it in certain ingredients so that we can control it.
Video examples
How to make jokes at a...
and remember this this isn't political this isn't partisan this is about justice and above all as we're doing these things I think you should do them with a smile and a wink because when you're having a good time that's what really sucks a life force
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
princess is really cool but who kind of waits around through most of the movie so that she can award the hero with a medal and a wink to thank him for saving the universe which he does by the magic that he was born with compared this to
Video examples
The future of 3D PIPE James...
know that so why are the screens that we watch television and movies and gaming and and mobile flat why are they flat well the truth is they don't need to be I like everybody in the room right now to close one eye and if you can't wink
Video examples
Barry Clifford: Pirate...
referred to Uncle Bill as Uncle ball so so there was always a modicum of doubt not with me I I believed everything bill said but my uncle's I could see them sort of winking at each other and there
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 23 PIPE...
there will be no broadcast at all ever now that's how big male I would put his aged around about seven maybe even eight tsehai winked at me when I said eight definitely that's how old he is
Video examples
Exo-Cannibalism PIPE...
the sun for one reason the Sun winked out of existence they knew they were dead Mexican codices illustrate victims laid over stone their hearts ritually
Video examples
What it's like to have...
I'm going to deal with it for the rest of my life. And that means that I have to frequently excuse myself from my classroom, because my verbal tics can be extremely distracting. That means that sometimes when I wink my eyes involuntarily, the guy sitting opposite from me thinks I'm flirting with him, when I'm really not.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 121 PIPE...
where she went and I did ask on the radio he was the last person with her and so I come down the tree and it was yours fun buffle suck and he then responded and said as soon as she dropped to the floor he couldn't see where she winked so we've been checking around and around and around to see if
Video examples
3 clues to understanding...
I mean, you know it's you because you wink and it winks, and you know it's a mirror, but you don't really recognize yourself as yourself. OK. Now that syndrome is well known as caused by damage to the fusiform gyrus. But there's another rare syndrome, so rare, in fact,
Video examples
Cooking With Cannabis PIPE...
I don't know if you've ever been too high off an edible. I know you said that you've never tried any. Chris, don't do that wink. For those of you that have, sometimes it can be extremely overwhelming. So we only put it in certain ingredients so that we can control it.
Video examples
How to make jokes at a...
and remember this this isn't political this isn't partisan this is about justice and above all as we're doing these things I think you should do them with a smile and a wink because when you're having a good time that's what really sucks a life force
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
princess is really cool but who kind of waits around through most of the movie so that she can award the hero with a medal and a wink to thank him for saving the universe which he does by the magic that he was born with compared this to
Video examples
The future of 3D PIPE James...
know that so why are the screens that we watch television and movies and gaming and and mobile flat why are they flat well the truth is they don't need to be I like everybody in the room right now to close one eye and if you can't wink
Video examples
Barry Clifford: Pirate...
referred to Uncle Bill as Uncle ball so so there was always a modicum of doubt not with me I I believed everything bill said but my uncle's I could see them sort of winking at each other and there
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 23 PIPE...
there will be no broadcast at all ever now that's how big male I would put his aged around about seven maybe even eight tsehai winked at me when I said eight definitely that's how old he is
Video examples
Exo-Cannibalism PIPE...
the sun for one reason the Sun winked out of existence they knew they were dead Mexican codices illustrate victims laid over stone their hearts ritually
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tony Judt
British Historian
No one wants to live in a wheelchair unable to talk, only winking once for yes and twice for no. It's perfectly reasonable that there will come a point where the balance of judgment of life over death swings the other way.
Quote examples
Earl Long
American Politician
Don't write anything you can phone. Don't phone anything you can talk. Don't talk anything you can whisper. Don't whisper anything you can smile. Don't smile anything you can nod. Don't nod anything you can wink.
Quote examples
Joss Whedon
American Writer
I am not a fan of referencing your own work when it's in a different universe than what you're doing. That, to me, is a wink at the audience, and winking isn't actually cool when you're not, like, 10.
Quote examples
Donald E. Westlake
American Writer
Once he became a series character, I made the conscious choice that he would never act like a series character, never wink at the reader, never pull his punches. Better for him, better for me.
Quote examples
Gene Wilder
American Actor
What good is a character who's always winking at the audience to let them in on the secret?
Quote examples
Samuel Butler
British Poet
Justice while she winks at crimes, Stumbles on innocence sometimes.
Quote examples
Peter Welch
American Politician
In Washington, 'delay' is too often code for 'derail.' Wink, wink.
Quote examples
Jack Kerouac
American Novelist
Maybe that's what life is... a wink of the eye and winking stars.
Quote examples
Matthew Hussey
British Celebrity
Boldness is sexy, especially when it's done with a wink.
Quote examples
Mads Mikkelsen
Danish Actor
I can never wink at the audience.
Quote examples
Tony Judt
British Historian
No one wants to live in a wheelchair unable to talk, only winking once for yes and twice for no. It's perfectly reasonable that there will come a point where the balance of judgment of life over death swings the other way.
Quote examples
Earl Long
American Politician
Don't write anything you can phone. Don't phone anything you can talk. Don't talk anything you can whisper. Don't whisper anything you can smile. Don't smile anything you can nod. Don't nod anything you can wink.
Quote examples
Joss Whedon
American Writer
I am not a fan of referencing your own work when it's in a different universe than what you're doing. That, to me, is a wink at the audience, and winking isn't actually cool when you're not, like, 10.
Quote examples
Donald E. Westlake
American Writer
Once he became a series character, I made the conscious choice that he would never act like a series character, never wink at the reader, never pull his punches. Better for him, better for me.
Quote examples
Gene Wilder
American Actor
What good is a character who's always winking at the audience to let them in on the secret?
Quote examples
Samuel Butler
British Poet
Justice while she winks at crimes, Stumbles on innocence sometimes.
Quote examples
Peter Welch
American Politician
In Washington, 'delay' is too often code for 'derail.' Wink, wink.
Quote examples
Jack Kerouac
American Novelist
Maybe that's what life is... a wink of the eye and winking stars.
Quote examples
Matthew Hussey
British Celebrity
Boldness is sexy, especially when it's done with a wink.
Quote examples
Mads Mikkelsen
Danish Actor
I can never wink at the audience.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension