What does blink mean?
Definitions for blink
blɪŋkblink
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word blink.
Princeton's WordNet
blink, eye blink, blinking, wink, winking, nictitation, nictationverb
a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly
blink, wink, nictitate, nictateverb
briefly shut the eyes
"The TV announcer never seems to blink"
wink, blink, blink awayverb
force to go away by blinking
"blink away tears"
flash, blink, wink, twinkle, winkleverb
gleam or glow intermittently
"The lights were flashing"
Wiktionary
blinknoun
The act of very quickly closing both eyes and opening them again.
blinknoun
The time needed to close and reopen one's eyes.
blinknoun
A text formatting feature that causes text to disappear and reappear as a form of visual emphasis.
blinkverb
To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
The loser in the staring game is the person who blinks first.
blinkverb
To flash headlights on a car.
An urban legend claims that gang members will attack anyone who blinks them.
blinkverb
To send a signal with a lighting device.
Don't come to the door until I blink twice.
blinkverb
To flash on and off at regular intervals.
The blinking text on the screen was distracting.
blinkverb
To perform the smallest action that could solicit a response.
Etymology: From blinken. Related to blank.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
To BLINKverb
Etymology: blincken, Danish.
So politick, as if one eye
Upon the other were a spy;
That to trepan the one to think
The other blind, both strove to blink. Hudibras, p. iii. c. ii.What’s here! the portrait of a blinking idiot. William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice.
Sweet and lovely well,
Shew me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne. William Shakespeare, Midsummer Night’s Dream.His figure such as might his soul proclaim;
One eye was blinking, and one leg was lame. Alexander Pope, Iliad.
ChatGPT
blink
Blink refers to the rapid closing and opening of the eyelid, usually an involuntary act aimed at protecting, lubricating, and cleaning the eye. It can also refer to a very short moment of time, a light flash, or the momentary gleam of light in someone's eyes. In a broader context, it can relate to any fast movement back and forth or a signal made by quickly turning a light on and off.
Webster Dictionary
Blinkverb
to wink; to twinkle with, or as with, the eye
Blinkverb
to see with the eyes half shut, or indistinctly and with frequent winking, as a person with weak eyes
Blinkverb
to shine, esp. with intermittent light; to twinkle; to flicker; to glimmer, as a lamp
Blinkverb
to turn slightly sour, as beer, mild, etc
Blinkverb
to shut out of sight; to avoid, or purposely evade; to shirk; as, to blink the question
Blinkverb
to trick; to deceive
Blinkverb
a glimpse or glance
Blinkverb
gleam; glimmer; sparkle
Blinkverb
the dazzling whiteness about the horizon caused by the reflection of light from fields of ice at sea; ice blink
Blink
boughs cast where deer are to pass, to turn or check them
Wikidata
Blink
Blinking is the rapid closing and opening of the eyelid. It is an essential function of the eye that helps spread tears across and remove irritants from the surface of the cornea and conjunctiva. Blink speed can be affected by elements such as fatigue, eye injury, medication, and disease. The blinking rate is determined by the "blinking center", but it can also be affected by external stimulus. When an animal chooses to blink only one eye as a signal to another in a social setting, it is known as winking. Some animals blink their eyes independently of each other.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Blink
blingk, v.i. to glance, twinkle, or wink: to see obscurely, or with the eyes half-closed: to shine unsteadily.—v.t. to shut out of sight: to avoid or evade.—n. a glimpse, glance, or wink: a momentary gleam of light, a spark.—n. Blink′ard, one who blinks or has bad eyes.—p.adj. Blinked, affected with blinking.—n.pl. Blink′ers, pieces of leather fastened to the cheek-pieces of a horse's head-stall in driving to prevent him seeing in any direction except straightforward. [M. E. a variant of blenk, prob. the same as Blench (q.v.).]
Suggested Resources
blink
Song lyrics by blink -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by blink on the Lyrics.com website.
Surnames Frequency by Census Records
BLINK
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Blink is ranked #65424 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
The Blink surname appeared 303 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Blink.
91% or 276 total occurrences were White.
4.2% or 13 total occurrences were of two or more races.
1.9% or 6 total occurrences were Asian.
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of blink in Chaldean Numerology is: 4
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of blink in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3
Examples of blink in a Sentence
I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined, in the blink of an eye, by Thursday's media reports, but I also want to be clear: I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false.
Perhaps the traffic light that is now showing green could blink yellow and then blink red. And decisions might be made in favor of alternative sources of energy in the way China finances development in other countries.
He didn't even blink when I opened the door, he's probably seen it all.
One to three years is a blink of an eye in terms of city developments, so many of these cities still have time to fill and become functional.
When a very bright light shines in our face, we blink. We close our eyes. The light is still there, but our eyes reject it because it is too much for them. On the first Easter day, even the apostles and Jesus’ close friends blinked. It took a while to recognize him and to realize what had happened. It was too much to believe until the Lord pressed them with the evidence. Once convinced, they testified to Jesus’ resurrection even at the cost of their lives.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for blink
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- примигвам, премигвам, мигам, примигване, миг, миганеBulgarian
- bliknout, mrknutí, blikat, mrknoutCzech
- mit den Augen zwinkern, blinken, Zwinkern, AugenzwinkernGerman
- palpebrumiEsperanto
- parpadear, guiñar, titilar, destellar, parpadeoSpanish
- räpyttää silmiä, väläyttää valoja, silmänräpäytys, välkyttää, räpäyttää silmiä, välkkyä, silmänräpäysFinnish
- ciller, cligner des yeux, faire un appel de phares, cligner, clignoterFrench
- priobadh, caog, priob, caogadhScottish Gaelic
- מצמץHebrew
- pislant, pislogHungarian
- թարթելArmenian
- lampeggiare, segnalare, sbattere le ciglia, battito di cigliaItalian
- 点滅, パッシング, 瞬く, まばたき, チラ見Japanese
- დახუჭვა, ახამხამებს, დახუჭავსGeorgian
- تروکاندنKurdish
- palpabunt, nictor, conniveo, palpebrō, nictoLatin
- трепкам, блиндирамMacedonian
- blunke, blinkeNorwegian
- flitsen, knipperenDutch
- migać, mignąć, mrugać, mrugnąćPolish
- piscar, olhadelaPortuguese
- ch'illmipakuyQuechua
- clipiRomanian
- моргнуть, моргать, мигнуть, мигать, мигRussian
- blinkaSwedish
Get even more translations for blink »
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"blink." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 16 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/blink>.
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