[blɪŋk], (Verb)

Definitions:
- shut and open the eyes quickly
(e.g: I blinked in astonishment)

- (of a light) flash on and off in a regular or intermittent way
(e.g: the car's right-hand indicator was blinking)


Phrases:
- in the blink of an eye
- not blink an eye
- on the blink

Origin:
Middle English: from blenk, Scots variant of blench, reinforced by Middle Dutch blinken ‘to shine’. Early senses included ‘deceive’, ‘flinch’ (compare with blench), and also ‘open the eyes after sleep’: hence blink (mid 16th century)

[blɪŋk], (Noun)

Definitions:
- an act of shutting and opening the eyes very quickly
(e.g: he was observing her every blink)

- a momentary gleam of light
(e.g: out on the marshes there was a blink of light)


Phrases:
- in the blink of an eye
- not blink an eye
- on the blink

Origin:
Middle English: from blenk, Scots variant of blench, reinforced by Middle Dutch blinken ‘to shine’. Early senses included ‘deceive’, ‘flinch’ (compare with blench), and also ‘open the eyes after sleep’: hence blink (mid 16th century)