wink at: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    InternationalUSUKneutralinformal
    • To close and open one eye briefly as a deliberate signal, often to convey complicity, flirtation, or shared understanding.
    • To make a brief, deliberate eye gesture to communicate a hidden message or secret acknowledgement.

    Examples

    Beta

    • During the meeting, Tom winked at Sarah to signal that he agreed with her suggestion.

      Durante la reunión, Tom le guiñó un ojo a Sarah para señalar que estaba de acuerdo con su sugerencia.

    • Did you notice how she winked at me after telling that story? I think she was joking.

      ¿Notaste cómo me guiñó un ojo después de contar esa historia? Creo que estaba bromeando.

    • He was caught winking at the audience during his speech, making everyone smile.

      Lo sorprendieron guiñando un ojo a la audiencia durante su discurso, haciendo que todos sonrieran.

    • She winked at her friend as a secret way to communicate without speaking aloud.

      Ella le guiñó un ojo a su amiga como una forma secreta de comunicarse sin hablar en voz alta.

  • 2.

    InternationalUSUKneutralformalinformal
    • To tolerate, ignore, or deliberately fail to take action against something considered improper or unlawful; to condone tacitly.
    • To allow a behaviour or situation to continue by deliberately refraining from intervening or enforcing rules.

    Examples

    Beta

    • The manager seemed to wink at the late arrivals during the busy season, choosing not to enforce the usual strict start times.

      Le responsable semblait fermer les yeux sur les arrivées tardives pendant la saison chargée, choisissant de ne pas appliquer les horaires stricts habituels.

    • They were accused of winking at minor safety violations to keep production running smoothly.

      Ils ont été accusés de fermer les yeux sur de petites infractions de sécurité pour maintenir la production sans accroc.

    • If the authorities wink at these corrupt practices, it only encourages further misconduct.

      Si les autorités ferment les yeux sur ces pratiques corrompues, cela ne fait qu'encourager davantage de mauvais comportements.

    • During the festival, the local police tended to wink at small infractions like unlicensed street vending.

      Pendant le festival, la police locale avait tendance à fermer les yeux sur de petites infractions comme la vente ambulante sans licence.

Examples:

  • EN: You'd wink at him and he'd listen to me, just to oblige you.
    ES: Le guiñarás el ojo y él me escuchará, solo para complacerte.
  • EN: The doctors might wink at it but the authorities certainly won't.
    ES: Los médicos pueden estar contentos, pero a las autoridades no les gustará.
  • EN: Can't even wink at her just once?
    ES: ¿Ni siquiera puedo guiñarle?
  • EN: Must have winked at you. Well, I don't want you to wink at me.
    ES: - Pues no quiero que me haga guiños.
  • EN: - Did I wink at you?
    ES: - ¿Le guiñé un ojo?
  • EN: Don't you wink at me.
    ES: No me guiñes el ojo.
  • EN: I understand you laugh at my kind of law and wink at the other.
    ES: Entiendo que se ríe de la justicia que apoyo y le guiña un ojo a la otra.
  • EN: Women would wink at me.
    ES: Las mujeres me guiñaban el ojo.
  • EN: -Well now, why don't you wink at her? -No.
    ES: ¿ves allí esa chica tan bonita?
  • EN: Well, perhaps you'd sooner have me as I was before - not sleeping a wink at night and suffering and being in error.
    ES: Quizá le gustaba más como era antes. Sin pegar ojo por las noches, sufriendo y estando en un error.
  • EN: What I mean is they have to wink at some things.
    ES: Quiero decir que hay cosas que tienen que ignorar.
  • EN: You'd wink at him and he'd listen to me, just to oblige you.
    ES: Le guiñarás el ojo y él me escuchará, solo para complacerte.
  • EN: The doctors might wink at it but the authorities certainly won't.
    ES: Los médicos pueden estar contentos, pero a las autoridades no les gustará.
  • EN: Can't even wink at her just once?
    ES: ¿Ni siquiera puedo guiñarle?
  • EN: Must have winked at you. Well, I don't want you to wink at me.
    ES: - Pues no quiero que me haga guiños.
  • EN: - Did I wink at you?
    ES: - ¿Le guiñé un ojo?
  • EN: Don't you wink at me.
    ES: No me guiñes el ojo.
  • EN: I understand you laugh at my kind of law and wink at the other.
    ES: Entiendo que se ríe de la justicia que apoyo y le guiña un ojo a la otra.
  • EN: Women would wink at me.
    ES: Las mujeres me guiñaban el ojo.
  • EN: -Well now, why don't you wink at her? -No.
    ES: ¿ves allí esa chica tan bonita?
  • EN: Well, perhaps you'd sooner have me as I was before - not sleeping a wink at night and suffering and being in error.
    ES: Quizá le gustaba más como era antes. Sin pegar ojo por las noches, sufriendo y estando en un error.
  • EN: I knew I shouldn't wink at her.
    ES: Sabía que no debía quiñarle el ojo. Esa sonrisa que me dedicó un momento.
  • EN: Didn't you see him wink at me?
    ES: -El abuelo... Y me ha guiñado el ojo.
  • EN: Well, he'd wink at us kids and sneak up behind Momma and grab her around the waist and kiss her on the ear.
    ES: Nos guiñaba un ojo... se ponía detrás de mamá, la agarraba por la cintura y le besaba una oreja.
  • EN: She didn't wink at you that day. She must have had something in her eye.
    ES: Aquel día no te hizo un guiño, debía tener algo en el ojo.
  • EN: What I mean is they have to wink at some things.
    ES: Quiero decir que hay cosas que tienen que ignorar.

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

wink at: Meaning, Examples & Usage (English) | Idiomator