to winkle
1
9.6
- verb
- /ˈwɪŋkəl/
:
extraer
- He has winkled out the truth, sitting in the public house he named, which she has often passed.
And then he spent literally months fiddling around with ice cold salt solutions, trying to work out ways of winkling out the white cells from these bandages.
- And then he spent literally months fiddling around with ice cold salt solutions, trying to work out ways of winkling out the white cells from these bandages.
Examples
-
I'll winkle it out of you.
-
And then he spent literally months fiddling around with ice cold salt solutions, trying to work out ways of winkling out the white cells from these bandages.
-
I'll winkle it out of you.
-
And the wine winkling through the glass.
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- She's good at winkling.
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Letting yourselves be winkled out of the Tower like thoughtless children.
Fiction book (1991) -
Well, now if the Nazis are due to take delivery... of this bomb at 0800, that gives us... a luxurious 14 hours in which to seize the island, secure the warhead... and winkle out poor Professor Teller.
-
Her commerce with the man until this had been scant and small (and she a woman whose inquisitive tongue could winkle out a fellow's life history in the time it takes to break a tinker's promise!) .
Fiction book (2000) -
The detective worked tirelessly to winkle the confession from the reluctant suspect.
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The gardener had to winkle the stubborn weeds out from between the flowers.
Synonyms
523
2.7
To take something out of a place, often with effort
15
6.1
To force something or someone out of a place where they are stuck
1
7.4
To free something that is stuck by removing what blocks it so it can move again
To get someone or something out with effort
Antonyms
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
How Difficult
Surface Forms
Etymology
Winkle as a verb comes from the idea of getting a small snail out of a tight place, like taking a winkle from a rock, so to winkle someone or something is to 'pull out' or dislodge them with effort.