Etymology From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitter, shine”), German blinken (“to flash, blink”), Danish blinke (“to flash, twinkle, wink, blink”), Swedish blinka (“to flash, blink, twinkle, wink, blink”). Related to blank, blick, blike, bleak.
The loser in the staring game is the person who blinks first.
2
To close and reopen one's eyes to remove (something) from on or around the eyes.
She blinked her tears away.
3
To wink; to twinkle with, or as with, the eye.
One eye was blinking, and one leg was lame.1715–1720, Homer, translated by Alexander Pope, “Book II”, in The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
4
To see with the eyes half shut, or indistinctly and with frequent winking, as a person with weak eyes.
Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne.c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
5
To shine, especially with intermittent light; to twinkle; to flicker; to glimmer, as a lamp.
The dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink.1800, William Wordsworth, The Pet-Lamb:
The sun blinked fair on pool and stream.1803, Walter Scott, Thomas the Rhymer:
Now exile is over, I'll fly to the north, The home of my childhood, the place of my birth; O the transports of gladness that over me reign, To blink upon canny Newcastle again!1850, J. P. Robson, editor, Songs of the bards of the Tyne; or, A choice selection of original songs chiefly in the Newcastle dialect., page 485:
7
To flash on and off at regular intervals.
The blinking text on the screen was distracting.
8
To flash headlights on a car at.
An urban legend claims that gang members will attack anyone who blinks them.
9
To send a signal with a lighting device.
Don't come to the door until I blink twice.
10
Excessive To perform the smallest action that could solicit a response.
All the waiters in your grand cafe / Leave their tables when you blink.1980, Billy Joel, “Don't Ask Me Why”, in Glass Houses, Columbia Records:
11
In negative constructions To have the slightest doubt, hesitation or remorse.
The soldier shot the intruders without so much as blinking.
12
To shut the eyes to (something); to evade, ignore.
I have no wish to blink or extenuate the serious nature of the difficulty arising from this discrepancy of dates.1900, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 3, page 199:
It is no use blinking the unpleasant fact.1921, Montagu Lomax, The Experiences of an Asylum Doctor, page 63:
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"Well, it's no good blinking facts. We had better clear out soon. If not tomorrow, then the day after."1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 92:
13
To deceive; to hoodwink.
"But I beg of you never more to commit her to my keeping, for I would sooner take charge of, and be accountable for, all the swine in Saxony than for one such woman, so many were the artifices and plots she devised to blink me."1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 69:
14
To turn slightly sour, or blinky, as beer, milk, etc.
Etymology From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitter, shine”), German blinken (“to flash, blink”), Danish blinke (“to flash, twinkle, wink, blink”), Swedish blinka (“to flash, blink, twinkle, wink, blink”). Related to blank, blick, blike, bleak.
The act of quickly closing both eyes and opening them again.
2
Figuratively The time needed to close and reopen one's eyes.
3
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A text formatting feature that causes text to disappear and reappear as a form of visual emphasis.
I can think of no good reason to use blink because blinking text and images are annoying, they mark the creator as an amateur, and they have poor browser support.2007, Cheryl D. Wise, Foundations of Microsoft Expression Web: The Basics and Beyond, page 150:
4
A glimpse or glance.
This is the first blink that ever I had of him.1612–1626, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in [Contemplations vpon the Principall Passages of the Holy Storie], volume (please specify |volume=II, V, or VI), London, →OCLC:
Not a blink of light was there.1835, William Wordsworth, Address from the Spirit of Cockermouth Castle:
this man vanished away […]as he had been a blink of the sun1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “(please specify the introduction or canto number, or chapter name)”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: […] J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC:
6
Nautical, Transport The dazzling whiteness about the horizon caused by the reflection of light from fields of ice at sea; iceblink
7
Hobbies, Lifestyle, SportsIn plural Boughs cast where deer are to pass, in order to turn or check them.
8
Video games An ability that allows teleporting, mostly for short distances
Etymology From a contraction of the group's name, itself a compound of black + pink, seemingly chosen as a homophone of blink.
1
LifestyleSlang A fan of the South Korean girl group Blackpink.
The long-awaited solo from BLACKPINK's Jennie came along and was very well received by BLINKs everywhere.2018, Holly Smith, "Season's Sounds", UKP Magazine, Winter 2018, page 22
BLACKPINK's first concert in Manila was definitely one for the books and BLINKs can only hope the four girls can come back sooner with brand new hit songs!2019 February 20, “7 reasons why we'll never forget BLACKPINK in Manila”, in Edge Davao, page A2:
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Many Blinks frantically refreshed multiple tabs of the ticket sales site on several devices just to secure a ticket to BlackPink's world tour in a cutthroat battle against thousands of other Blinks.2019, Kevin Song, "BlackPinks comeback confirms they're here to 'Stay'", Falconer (Torrey Pines High School, San Diego, California), 26 April 2019, page A8