blink
gb/blˈɪŋk/ us/blˈɪŋk/
A2
English
~ 9800
pislog, villog, pislantás, megrezzen, szeme sem rebben, pillanat, szempillantás, szemet huny, nem vesz tudomást
VERB
A2
1
pislog
A2
Usage pattern:
to blink [one's] eyes
She blinked as the camera flash went off.
Pislogott, amikor felvillant a kamera vakuja.
He stared at the screen so long he forgot to blink.
Olyan sokáig bámulta a képernyőt, hogy elfelejtett pislogni.
The baby blinked twice and then smiled.
I kept blinking to clear the dust from my eyes.
He blinked nervously and looked away.
Learner examples
I blink when the light is too bright.
Pislogok, ha túl erős a fény.
She blinked and then opened her eyes again.
Pislogott egyet, aztán újra kinyitotta a szemét.
My eyes are dry because I do not blink enough.
The child blinked many times and rubbed his eyes.
He blinked quickly when something went into his eye.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "blink" and "wink". Use "blink" for the natural, automatic movement of both eyes, and "wink" for a deliberate closing of one eye, usually as a signal.
Meaning
close and open eyes quickly
Collocations
blink rapidly
|blink slowly
|blink repeatedly
|blink in surprise
|forget to blink
|blink in the bright light
Synonyms
wink (Usually a deliberate closing of one eye, often as a signal or joke, not an automatic action of both eyes.)
Antonyms
stare (Means to look with eyes wide open for a long time without blinking much.)
Themes
body
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To quickly close and open your eyes one time or many times.
To quickly close and then open your eyes, usually without thinking, or to do this repeatedly.
VERB
B1
2
villog
A2
Usage pattern:
for [a light] to blink
A small green light was blinking on the modem.
Egy kis zöld fény villogott a modemen.
The cursor kept blinking in the empty text box.
A kurzor folyamatosan villogott az üres szövegdobozban.
Red lights blinked in the distance as the ambulance approached.
If the power light is blinking, the device is still on.
The sign blinked brightly all night on the street corner.
Learner examples
The blue light on my phone is blinking.
Villog a kék fény a telefonomon.
A red light blinked, so we stopped the car.
Egy piros fény villogott, ezért megálltunk az autóval.
The small light blinks when the machine is working.
I saw many lights blinking on the tall building.
The cursor is blinking, waiting for me to type.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "blink" for very strong, brief light like lightning. In those cases, "flash" is usually more natural: "Lightning flashed in the sky," not "Lightning blinked."
Meaning
light flashes on and off
Collocations
blinking light
|blinking cursor
|red light blinking
|lights blink on and off
|indicator lights blink
|warning light blinked
Synonyms
flash (Very close in meaning; "flash" is more common and general, while "blink" often suggests a more regular, on–off pattern like an indicator light.)
Antonyms
glow (Describes light that stays on continuously and steadily instead of turning on and off.)
Themes
technology
|transport
|safety
|communication
Definition
If a light blinks, it goes on and off again and again.
Of a light, sign, or display: to go on and off repeatedly, often as a signal or warning.
NOUN
B1
3
pislantás
B1
With a blink, her expression changed from sad to happy.
Egy pislantás után az arckifejezése szomorúról vidámra változott.
He answered the question without a blink.
Egyetlen pislantás nélkül válaszolt a kérdésre.
The doctor watched the child's blink carefully.
The bright flash left him seeing spots for several blinks.
Her eyes were dry, so she took a few long blinks.
Learner examples
My eyes hurt after just one blink.
Már egyetlen pislantás után is fáj a szemem.
He looked at me and did not make a single blink.
Rám nézett, és egyetlenegyszer sem pislantott.
She gave a small blink and smiled.
The man answered in one blink, very quickly.
After a few blinks, my eyes felt better.
Common mistake:
Some learners use "a blink" when they mean a short time, as in *"Wait a blink."* In everyday English, people usually say "Wait a second" or use the set phrase "in the blink of an eye" for time.
Meaning
one quick eye movement
Collocations
in a single blink
|give a blink
|without a blink
|a quick blink
|with every blink
|after a few blinks
Synonyms
eye blink (More technical and specific; used especially in medical or scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
stare (Refers to keeping the eyes open for a long time without blinking much.)
Themes
body
|daily life
|health
Definition
One quick time when you close and open your eyes.
A single quick closing and opening of your eyes.
VERB
B2
4
megrezzen
B2
Usage pattern:
to not blink [in the face of] [something]
She didn't blink when they doubled the price; she just paid it.
A szeme sem rebbent, amikor megduplázták az árat; egyszerűen kifizette.
Under tough questioning, the minister never blinked.
A kemény kérdések során a miniszter meg sem rezzent.
In the final round, he blinked and walked away from the deal.
The team refused to blink, even after two early goals against them.
Investors blinked at the latest round of bad news and started selling.
Learner examples
He did not blink when he heard the bad news.
Meg sem rezzent, amikor meghallotta a rossz hírt.
She looked at the angry man and did not blink.
Ránézett a dühös férfira, és a szeme sem rebbent.
The player did not blink under pressure and scored.
The company will not blink, even in a hard market.
At the last minute, he blinked and said no.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning always involves the physical movement of the eyes. In this sense, especially in "not blink" or "blink first," it mainly describes emotional strength or weakness, not just the eye movement.
Meaning
show fear or hesitation
Collocations
never blink
|refuse to blink
|blink first
|blink under pressure
|not blink in the face of danger
|didn't even blink
Synonyms
flinch (Focuses more on a sudden physical movement or emotional pulling back, while "blink" often emphasizes the lack of such a reaction in negative forms.)
Antonyms
stand firm (Means to stay strong and not show fear or hesitation, often contrasted with someone who "blinks" or "blinks first.")
Themes
emotions
|conflict
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To show that you are afraid, surprised, or not sure, often by your face or actions; usually used in "not blink" to mean you do not show this feeling.
To show a sign of surprise, fear, or hesitation in a difficult or tense situation, often used in negative statements to mean showing no such reaction.
NOUN
B2
5
pillanat
A2
The weekend was over in a blink.
A hétvége egy szempillantás alatt véget ért.
His childhood seemed to pass in a blink.
Úgy tűnt, a gyerekkora egy szempillantás alatt elmúlt.
She turned around, and in a blink the dog was gone.
The show was so good that two hours went by in a blink.
In a blink, the quiet street became busy with cars.
Learner examples
The movie was so fun; it ended in a blink.
Annyira jó volt a film, hogy egy szempillantás alatt véget ért.
My vacation was gone in a blink.
A nyaralásom egy szempillantás alatt elszállt.
He looked away, and in a blink the boy ran off.
The day passed in a blink for me.
The car came and went in a blink.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse "a blink" alone for time (e.g. *"Wait a blink"*). It is more natural in set phrases like "in a blink" or "in the blink of an eye."
Meaning
a very short moment
Collocations
in a blink
|gone in a blink
|over in a blink
|pass in a blink
|disappear in a blink
Synonyms
instant (A general word for a very short time; "blink" is often used in fixed phrases and is a bit more vivid.)
Antonyms
age (Informal word for a very long time, often used as a contrast to a "blink" of time.)
Themes
time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very short time, like a second.
A very short moment of time, especially when something seems to happen or finish very quickly.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
6
szemet huny
B2
Usage pattern:
to blink [the fact that] [clause]
We can no longer blink the fact that the system is failing.
Többé nem hunyhatunk szemet afelett, hogy a rendszer csődöt mond.
The report does not blink the scale of the crisis.
A jelentés nem siklik el a válság méretei felett.
For years, policymakers blinked the problem of rising inequality.
He is not a leader who blinks reality when it is uncomfortable.
The article refuses to blink the environmental costs of growth.
Learner examples
We cannot blink the fact that many people are poor.
Nem hunyhatunk szemet afelett, hogy sok ember szegény.
The government should not blink this problem.
A kormánynak nem szabad szemet hunynia e probléma felett.
For a long time, they blinked the danger.
The writer does not blink the hard truth.
You should not blink the facts in front of you.
Common mistake:
This formal sense is rare in speech. Learners sometimes use it in casual talk where "ignore" or "look away from" would sound more natural.
Meaning
ignore an unpleasant fact
Collocations
blink the fact that
|blink reality
|cannot blink the problem
|no longer blink the issue
|refuse to blink the evidence
Synonyms
ignore (More common and neutral; "blink" here is somewhat formal or literary and suggests a kind of willful looking away.)
Antonyms
confront (Means to face a problem directly instead of pretending it is not there.)
Themes
thinking
|politics
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To act as if you do not see or know a bad thing, so you do not deal with it.
To avoid recognizing or accepting something, especially a problem or unpleasant fact, as if you do not see it.
Grammar
Dictionary form
blink
IPA
GB/blˈɪŋk/
US/blˈɪŋk/
Syllables & stress
blink (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (blink)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: blink
- Plural: blinks
Verb
- Base: blink
- 3rd Person Singular: blinks
- Present Participle: blinking
- Past: blinked
Word family
Forms
blinks
noun
blinking
verb
blinked
verb
Related words
blinker
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unblinking
adjective
Advanced or less common
blinkered
adjective
Expressions
blink and you'll miss it
1/blˈɪŋk ˈænd jˈul mˈɪs ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
happens extremely quickly
Used to say that something happens very fast, so fast that if you close your eyes for a moment, you will not see it.
Examples
- Their scene is so short that if you blink, you'll miss it.
- The train leaves at 9:01—blink and you'll miss it.
- The play moves fast; blink and you'll miss it.
blink back [tears]
1/blˈɪŋk bˈæk tˈɪɹz/
phrasal verb
hold back tears by blinking
To stop yourself from crying by quickly closing and opening your eyes, so the tears do not fall.
Examples
- She blinked back tears as she said goodbye.
- He blinked back his tears and forced a smile.
- I tried to blink back the tears in front of my kids.
blink first
1/blˈɪŋk fˈɚst/
idiom
be first to give in
To be the first person or side to give up, step back, or show fear in a fight, game, or negotiation.
Examples
- Neither side wants to blink first in the trade talks.
- He stared at her, waiting to see who would blink first.
- Investors blinked first and started to sell.
blink of an eye
1/blˈɪŋk əv ən ˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
a very short moment
A very short time, as short as one quick eye movement.
Examples
- It was over in a blink of an eye.
- In a blink of an eye, everything changed.
- Those years passed in a blink of an eye.
in a blink
1/ˈɪn ə blˈɪŋk/
fixed phrase
informal
in a very short time
Very quickly; in a very short time.
Examples
- The weekend went by in a blink.
- The bus was full in a blink.
- Summer passed in a blink this year.
in the blink of an eye
1/ˈɪn ðə blˈɪŋk əv ən ˈaɪ/
idiom
very fast; almost instantly
So fast that it feels like it happens in one very quick eye movement; very, very quickly.
Examples
- The car was gone in the blink of an eye.
- Your children will grow up in the blink of an eye.
- The company expanded worldwide in the blink of an eye.
not even blink
1/nˈɑt ˈivən blˈɪŋk/
idiom
informal
show no surprise or fear
To show no reaction at all, especially no surprise or fear, when something big or shocking happens.
Examples
- When they mentioned the huge fine, she didn't even blink.
- He didn't even blink when he saw the blood.
- The manager didn't even blink at the extra cost.
on the blink
1/ˈɔn ðə blˈɪŋk/
idiom
informal
broken or not working right
Not working correctly, or stopping and starting in a wrong way, usually about a machine or device.
Examples
- My laptop is on the blink again.
- The fridge has been on the blink for weeks.
- Sorry, the printer's on the blink today.
without blinking
1/wɪðˈaʊt blˈɪŋkɪŋ/
fixed phrase
with no sign of emotion
Doing something with no show of surprise, fear, or worry; very calmly or easily.
Examples
- She lied to his face without blinking.
- He spent that amount of money without blinking.
- They accepted the risky deal without blinking.
without blinking an eye
1/wɪðˈaʊt blˈɪŋkɪŋ ən ˈaɪ/
idiom
do something very calmly
To do something without showing any surprise, fear, or emotion on your face.
Examples
- He walked past the protestors without blinking an eye.
- She took the bad news without blinking an eye.
- They raised the price, and customers paid it without blinking an eye.