Library / English Dictionary

BLINK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly

Synonyms:

blink; blinking; eye blink; nictation; nictitation; wink; winking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("blink" is a kind of...):

inborn reflex; innate reflex; instinctive reflex; physiological reaction; reflex; reflex action; reflex response; unconditioned reflex (an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blink"):

palpebration (repeated blinking or winking (especially if uncontrolled and persistent))

Derivation:

blink (briefly shut the eyes)

blink (keep back by blinking)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Briefly shut the eyes

Example:

The TV announcer never seems to blink

Synonyms:

blink; nictate; nictitate; wink

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "blink" is one way to...):

act involuntarily; act reflexively (act in an uncontrolled manner)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blink"):

palpebrate (wink or blink, especially repeatedly)

bat; flutter (wink briefly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

blink; blinking (a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Keep back by blinking

Example:

blink away tears

Synonyms:

blink; blink away; wink

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "blink" is one way to...):

hold back; keep; keep back; restrain (prevent the action or expression of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

blink (a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Gleam or glow intermittently

Example:

The lights were flashing

Synonyms:

blink; flash; twinkle; wink; winkle

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "blink" is one way to...):

radiate (cause to be seen by emitting light as if in rays)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blink"):

flick; flicker (flash intermittently)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

Lights blink on the horizon

The horizon is blinking with lights

Derivation:

blinker (a light that flashes on and off; used as a signal or to send messages)

blinker (a blinking light on a motor vehicle that indicates the direction in which the vehicle is about to turn)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He fell to the floor, half stunned for the moment, breathing heavily and blinking his eyes in a stupid sort of way.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He looked at us over her bowed head, with eyes that blinked damply above his quivering nostrils; his mouth was set as steel.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He turned his head and blinked at the men who shouted, at the same time wagging his stump of a tail good-naturedly.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

What with her natural blindness, and what with the change from dark to light, she stood as one dazed, blinking about her to see where and who we were.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He grinned and blinked and bowed until his colleague turned and walked away.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The animal blinked continually in the sunshine.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Best of all, perhaps, he loved to lie near the fire, hind legs crouched under him, fore legs stretched out in front, head raised, and eyes blinking dreamily at the flames.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the clock on the mantelpiece showed me that it was only a quarter-past seven, I blinked up at him in some surprise, and perhaps just a little resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She was soon my child-wife indeed; sitting down on the floor outside the Chinese House, ringing all the little bells one after another, to punish Jip for his recent bad behaviour; while Jip lay blinking in the doorway with his head out, even too lazy to be teased.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Doctors use it in small doses to treat health problems, including: • Temporary smoothing of facial wrinkles and improving your appearance • Severe underarm sweating • Cervical dystonia - a neurological disorder that causes severe neck and shoulder muscle contractions • Blepharospasm - uncontrollable blinking • Strabismus - misaligned eyes • Chronic migraine • Overactive bladder

(Botox, NIH)