in the wink of an eye - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (2024)

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What does the idiom "in the wink of an eye" mean? ›

Adverb. in the wink of an eye (not comparable) (idiomatic) instantaneously, extremely quickly quotations ▼

Sometimes a wink indicates a joke, a secret, or affection — and sometimes it just means you got something in your eye. Whenever your jokester uncle winks at you, it's like a private signal letting you know that the next thing he says will be a tall tale.

Etymology. From Middle English in the twynklyng of an iȝe, in þe twynklynk of an eiȝe, from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 15:52: We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

Old English wincian 'close the eyes', of Germanic origin; related to German winken 'to wave', also to wince. The meaning "close an eye as a hint or signal" is first recorded c. 1100; that of "close one's eyes (to fault or irregularity)" first attested late 15c.

The correct answer is Within a very short period of time​. Let's look at the meaning of the given idiom: In the blink of an eye- extremely quickly.

The expression "winks the eye" is a reference to secret signs and hidden messages (Proverbs 6:13). In this context, it means a signal to evil companions to join in some crime.

Scripture says, “Life is like like withering Grass”. In a blink of an eye, our time on this earth is gone.

If you say that something happens in the blink of an eye, you mean that it happens very quickly.

extremely quickly: In the blink of an eye, he was gone. Short in time. abbreviated.

/ˈwɪŋkɪŋ/ Phrasal Verbs. ​[intransitive] wink (at somebody) to close one eye and open it again quickly, especially as a private signal to somebody, or to show something is a joke.

What is the archaic meaning of wink? ›

Old English wincian "to blink, wink, close one's eyes quickly," from Proto-Germanic *wink- (source also of Dutch winken, Old High German winkan "move sideways, stagger; nod," German winken "to wave, wink"), a gradational variant of the root of Old High German wankon "to stagger, totter," Old Norse vakka "to stray, ...

God wink (plural God winks) An event or personal experience, often identified as coincidence, so astonishing that it is seen as a sign of divine intervention, especially when perceived as the answer to a prayer.

What You Need to Know. Eye twitching is a common condition that may run in families. The exact cause of eye twitching is not known, but the condition can originate in the motor nerves of the brain. Dry eyes, stress, fatigue, eye strain, and certain medications can contribute to an episode.

Expert-Verified Answer

In this poem, the phrase " in the wink of an eye" is used to denote the speed of the train. The train is moving so fast that all the stations are left behind. The poet expresses this with the help of this phrase.

: to pretend not to have seen or noticed (something) : to ignore.

It was all over in the wink of an eye. The answer came to him in a flash.