[f. WINK v.1 + -ING2.] That winks.
1. That shuts the eyes or one eye intermittently or for an instant; blinking; † slumbering, sleepy; in OE. as sb. = the blind.
Used to render the specific name connivens of certain birds.
a. 1000. Sal. & Sat., 77. Lamena he is læce, leoht wincendra [v.r. winciendra].
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 4. Þo wepte I for wo and wratth of her speche, And in a wynkyng wraith wex I aslepe.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 162. Smalle holes keepe small mise, from wily winkyng cats.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., II. iv. 89. Her Andirons … were two winking Cupids Of Siluer.
1630. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit., xxi. 53. Wee are wont to salute it [sc. the light] at the first comming in, with winking, or closed eyes.
1693. Dryden, Ovid’s Met., I. 990. The Keeper’s winking Eyes began to fail.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 773. Blame we most the nurslings or the nurse? The children,… deform’d, Through want of care; or her, whose winking eye And slumb’ring oscitancy mars the brood?
1801. Latham, Synopsis, Suppl., II. 53. Winking Falcon [Falco connivens]. It has a wonderful faculty of contracting and dilating the iris.
1810. Crabbe, Borough, x. 243. And prosing topers rub their winking eyes.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 381. The nictitating (winking) muscles.
1860. Patmore, Faithful for Ever, II. ii. 109.
| And I, contented, read, or smoke | |
| And idly think, or idly stroke | |
| The winking cat, or watch the fire, | |
| In social peace that does not tire. |
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, liv. Starveling saints and winking madonnas.
† b. Characterized by shutting of the eyes or averted looks; conniving. Obs.
1577–82. Breton, Floorish upon Fancie, Wks. (Grosart), I. 37/1. Some finely vse a winking kinde of wile, Some looke alofte, and some doo still looke downe.
1579. E. Hake, Newes out of Powles (1872), F viij b. See, see, what wyly winking shiftes, by cliffe browde beasts are made.
1605–6. Earl Northampton, in Crt. & Times Jas. I. (1848), I. 55. The winking course which I am forced to take daily in the ports … hath … tired me with struggling between both parts.
2. transf. That opens and shuts; often, by extension, applied to intermittent light, the flashing of lamps, the twinkling of a reflexion, or the like.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 215. All preparation for a bloody siedge, And merciles proceeding,… Confronts your Citties eies, your winking gates.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., II. iii. 25 (Song). And winking Mary buds begin to ope their Golden eyes.
1681. Dryden, Span. Friar, III. ii. A dim winking Lamp.
1789. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Subj. for Painters, Wks. 1812, II. 142. A winking Light of paltry Rush.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxviii. These [houses] had very little winking windows, and low-arched doors.
1904. Hichens, Garden of Allah, xx. The first glass of blithely winking champagne.
3. Comb., as † winking-eyed a., blind (fig.).
1621. Eng. Prot. Plea for Eng. Preists & Papists, 60. The councell could not be so winking eyed, but they would haue found foorth some one or other culpable.
Hence Winkingly adv., with winking eyes; † with a casual look; with a wink or winks.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., I 3 b. Whose pleasing face he had scarce winkingly glanst on [etc.].
1612. Peacham, Gentl. Exerc., III. (1634), 138. If any one beholdeth … some very white object, he vieweth it winkingly.
1868. N. Brit. Rev., Dec., 229/1. The left eye of Raff, called Raffael, asks winkingly, ‘What do you bring to-day?’
1897. Blackmore, Dariel, xlix. 437. Looking out winkingly in all directions,… I beheld a company of little rocks.
