Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WINK, v.i. [Sax. wincian; D. wenken; G. winken; Sw. vinka; Dan. vinker; W. gwing, a wink; gwingaw, to wriggle, to wink, to wince. Wink and wince are radically one word.]

1. To shut the eyes; to close the eyelids. They are not blind, but they wink. – Tillotson.
2. To close and open the eyelids.
3. To give a hint by a motion of the eyelids. Wink at the footman to leave him without a plate. – Swift.
4. To close the eyelids and exclude the light. Or wink as cowards and afraid. – Prior.
5. To be dim; as, a winking light. – Dryden. To wink at, to connive at; to seem not to see; to tolerate; to overlook, as something not perfectly agreeable; as, to wink at faults. – Roscommon.