To wink means to close and open one eye quickly, usually as a signal or friendly gesture. You might wink at a friend across the classroom to share a private joke, or a parent might wink after making a silly comment to show they're kidding around. A wink creates a small moment of connection between two people, like a secret handshake made with your eyelid.

People wink for different reasons. Sometimes a wink says “I'm joking” or “don't take that seriously.” Other times it means “we're in on this together” or “I know what you're thinking.” A grandparent might wink after sneaking you an extra cookie, acknowledging your shared secret. Unlike a full smile or wave that everyone can see, a wink feels more personal and conspiratorial.

The word also appears in phrases like “quick as a wink,” meaning extremely fast, or “catch forty winks,” meaning to take a short nap. Something might happen in the wink of an eye, so quickly you'd miss it if you blinked.

As a noun, a wink is the quick one-eyed movement itself: “She gave me a wink.”