What does blink mean?
To blink is to close and reopen the eyelids quickly, most often as an automatic reflex that keeps the eyes moist and protected, though people also blink deliberately to signal or to express surprise. By extension, a light that switches on and off erratically can be said to blink, and figuratively a person may blink by hesitating to confront a difficult situation, as in a tense standoff where whoever 'blinks first' loses. The word works both as verb and noun: a blink is a single instance of this motion, and the idiom 'in the blink of an eye' has become a standard way to describe anything happening almost instantaneously. In informal usage, chiefly British and American, a machine that is 'on the blink' is malfunctioning. Common, versatile, and instantly understood, blink belongs to everyday vocabulary across registers, appearing everywhere from medical descriptions of eye function to dramatic dialogue about courage under pressure.
To shut and open the eyes quickly, typically involuntarily; to flash on and off (of a light); figuratively, to hesitate or show unwillingness to face something.
"Don't blink during the eclipse — protect your eyes instead."
The reflexive sense takes no object; the figurative sense ('blink first in a standoff') usually appears without an object too.
A quick closing and opening of the eyes; a brief flash of light.
"In a blink, the magician had made the coin vanish."
Most familiar in the idioms 'in the blink of an eye' and 'before you could blink'.
Used mainly in phrases like 'a couple of blinks'; otherwise the singular dominates.
"After a few slow blinks, she finally focused on the page in front of her."
The average person blinks around 15–20 times per minute — roughly 10% of your waking hours are spent with your eyes closed, yet you barely notice it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blink
Blink emerged in English during the late Middle Ages, attested from around the fourteenth century, originally meaning to glance or look quickly before narrowing toward its modern sense of shutting the eyes briefly. Its origin is uncertain: it may be connected to Middle Dutch and related Germanic forms meaning to shine or glitter, which would explain its application to flickering lights. It remains essentially a native Germanic word rather than a borrowing from Latin or Greek, so it has few true cognates in modern English.
Related word forms
How blink is actually used
'Blink' is neutral in register. The idiom 'in the blink of an eye' emphasizes extreme speed, and 'on the blink' is chiefly British and American informal speech meaning broken or malfunctioning. As a figurative verb, 'to blink' can mean to show hesitation or unwillingness to confront something, often used of negotiations or standoffs.
Easily confused with blink
A wink is a deliberate closing of one eye to signal or joke, while a blink is the quick involuntary closing of both eyes.
Twinkle describes a steady sparkling shimmer of light or eyes, whereas blink is a rapid on-off flashing or an eye reflex.