to wink at
4
5.6
- phrasal verb
- /wɪŋk æt/
:
guiñar
- When she saw me, she quickly winked at me to signal that it was a surprise party.
- says Lydia, winking at
- smiled and winked at
- Then, winking at
You know, if the if the actors start winking at the camera, I didn't do that right.
- You know, if the if the actors start winking at the camera, I didn't do that right.
- It's how you feel about that wink and how you feel about the person who's winking at you.
- While Trump entered the courtroom, he winked at one of the court officers and mouthed what?
- I turn around, there's a baby crying and I turn around in a mother's nursing and I wink at her.
- And they knew it too because, like, I mean, she was strutting her stuff and at one point she winks at the camera.
- He just looks and he goes, looks back at me and I go, he goes winks at me.
- OK, in real life, don't hesitate to wink at her, say when you're leaving the table to grab the rounds of drinks.
Examples
-
Garner would snap his fingers and wink at her at every opportunity.
Fiction book (1998) -
"Well, I spent a lot of nights there," says Lydia, winking at me.
Fiction book (1999) -
And one could say that Elizabeth was winking at people too.
-
"I thought he was kind of cute." "Me, too," said Albert, who winked at me.
Fiction book (1991) -
Diana, how you do go on!" He winked at her and picked up his phone, ending the conversation.
Fiction book (1996) -
"No wonder," Ed said, winking at Ellen as he handed her a glass.
Fiction book (1991) -
He just winked at me.
-
"Mostly?" Neva winked at her while she opened the back door to her black Plymouth.
Fiction book (1999) -
"Mama," I whispered, "Old Ferguson over there is winking at Grandma."
Fiction book (2001) -
"You'll knock 'em dead in that outfit," the vendor said, winking at her again.
Fiction book (1999)
Synonyms
54
1.0
To close and open one eye quickly to signal or greet someone
2
8.1
Look at someone to show romantic or sexual interest
To give someone a secret signal or hint
Look at someone to show romantic or sexual interest
To move your eyelashes quickly in a playful way to get what you want
How Overt
Surface Forms
Morphology
wink + at
The meaning is directly built from the constituents: 'wink' (to close one eye as a signal) plus the preposition 'at' (directed toward someone) yields the sense of signaling or showing interest to a person. This verb + preposition pattern and the associated gesture are cross-linguistically common and thus predictable for a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
Wink at comes from the simple, literal action of briefly closing one eye, the wink, to send a private or playful sign to someone. That's why it means 'to signal discreetly' or show 'playful interest'.