blinking

UK: /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/ US: (bling′king)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

blink•ing  (bling′king), adj., adv. [Chiefly Brit.]

1. British Terms (used as an intensifier):
   He's a blinking idiot.

• blink + -ing² 1910–15

blink′ing•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

blinking / ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/ adjective , adverb

1. (intensifier): a blinking fool, a blinking good film

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

blink /blɪŋk/   v. 

1. to open and close (the eye): [no object]
   He blinked when I opened the curtains.
   [~ + object]
   She blinked her eyes rapidly.
2. to shine (something) unsteadily or rapidly on or off: [no object]
   The lights blinked in the darkness.
   [~ + object]
   He blinked his lights as a warning to other motorists.

n. [countable]

3. an act of blinking:
   a quick blink of the eyes.

Idioms

4. a or the blink of the eye, a very short period of time:
   In a blink of the eye the mouse had disappeared through a hole in the wall.
5. Idioms on the blink, [be + ~] not working properly;
   in need of repair:
   Oh no, the computer is on the blink again.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

blink  (blingk), v.i. 

1. to open and close the eye, esp. involuntarily;
   wink rapidly and repeatedly.
2. to look with winking or half-shut eyes:
   I blinked at the harsh morning light.
3. to be startled, surprised, or dismayed (usually fol. by at):
   She blinked at his sudden fury.
4. to look evasively or with indifference;
   ignore (often fol. by at):
   to blink at another's eccentricities.
5. to shine unsteadily, dimly, or intermittently;
   twinkle:
   The light on the buoy blinked in the distance.

v.t. 

6. to open and close (the eye or eyes), usually rapidly and repeatedly;
   wink:
   She blinked her eyes in an effort to wake up.
7. to cause (something) to blink:
   We blinked the flashlight frantically, but there was no response.
8. to ignore deliberately;
   evade;
   shirk.

n. 

9. an act of blinking:
   The faithful blink of the lighthouse.
10. a gleam;
    glimmer:
    There was not a blink of light anywhere.
11. [Chiefly Scot.] a glance or glimpse.
12. [Meteorol.]
    • iceblink.
    • snowblink.
13. on the blink, not in proper working order;
    in need of repair:
    The washing machine is on the blink again.

• 1250–1300; Middle English blinken (verb, verbal), variant of blenken to blench¹; cognate with Dutch, German blinken

Synonyms

• 1. See wink ¹.
• 8. overlook, disregard, avoid, condone.
• 9. wink, flicker, twinkle, flutter.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

blink / blɪŋk/ verb

1. to close and immediately reopen (the eyes or an eye), usually involuntarily
2. (intransitive) to look with the eyes partially closed, as in strong sunlight
3. to shine intermittently, as in signalling, or unsteadily
4. (tr; followed by away, from, etc) to clear the eyes of (dust, tears, etc)
5. when tr, usually followed by at: to be surprised or amazed
6. when intr, followed by at: to pretend not to know or see (a fault, injustice, etc)

noun

1. the act or an instance of blinking
2. a glance; glimpse
3. short for iceblink1
4. on the blink ⇒ not working properly

Etymology: 14th Century: variant of blench¹; related to Middle Dutch blinken to glitter, Danish blinke to wink, Swedish blinka