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👁️ To close eyes quickly 👁️ A fast eye movement 💡 To flash on and off 😢 To hold back tears
to blink

to blink

181 1.0
To close and open the eyelids quickly without thinking
  • verb
  • /blɪŋk/
translation icon : parpadear
  • As the bright light flashed, I instinctively blinked to protect my eyes.
  • blink an eye

Corneal abrasion, when you blink, it's smooth, you don't feel it.

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Examples

  • As I lay sprawled on the floor blinking, I heard the coach blow the whistle.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • It was off and running before I could even blink my eyes.

  • I need you to please blink your eyes.

    After Earth (2013)

  • Jack, blink for me if you can.

    The Jacket (2005)

  • You blink and you miss it.

    The Big Year (2011)

  • Blink twice for yes, once for no.

    Hannibal (2001)

  • Why don't you blink for me one time?

  • First one that blinks loses.

    Ezra (2024)

  • Joe took a drink, blinked, and handed the bottle over to me.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Lightning flashed; it made him blink and silhouetted the treetops in front of the cottage.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to nictitate
vsto blink
  • Specialized
1 9.9

To close and open the eyes briefly

is the general quick eye closure often involuntary and usually brief
to eyeblink
vsto blink
3.0

To close and open the eyelid very quickly

is a quick eyelid action often involuntary but not only a reflex
to nictate
vsto blink
  • Specialized
9.9

To close and open the eyes quickly

is the same brief eye action but stated in more general words
to blinking
vsto blink
1.0

To close and open the eyes quickly and repeatedly

is a single quick eyelid movement rather than repeated ones
to palpebrate
vsto blink
9.9

To close and open the eyelids quickly, often several times

is usually an involuntary brief closure rather than a deliberate signal

Antonyms

to stare
∞ 1.0

To look at someone or something for a long time without moving your eyes

to gaze
170 2.6

To look steadily with admiration, surprise, or deep thought

Idioms

in the blink of an eye
  • Informal
50 3.3

Very quickly, in almost no time

blink of an eye
  • Informal
35 2.8

A very short moment that passes almost instantly

blink-and-you-miss-it
  • Informal
8.3

Very short and easy to miss if you do not look closely

Phrasal Verbs

to blink away
1 5.7

To hold back tears by quickly closing your eyes

to blink back tears
1 4.9

To try to stop crying by blinking quickly

Compounds

eye blink
2 1.0

A quick closing and opening of an eyelid that keeps the eye wet and protected

How Quick

flutter
11 2.7
to blink
181 1.0
to wink
54 1.0

Surface Forms

blink infinitive
blinked past
blinked past participle
blinking present participle
blinks third person singular

Etymology

The verb blink comes from the old English blincan meaning 'to wink', so to blink is to quickly close and open your eyes, often as a natural or quick reaction.