0 past simple and past participle of wink
1 to close one eye for a short time as a way of greeting someone or showing friendliness, sexual interest, etc., or of showing that you are not serious about something you have said:
Even in their heyday, people sometimes winked and leered at their seemingly retrograde approaches to life.
But admit it, the article winked at its readers, you used to use three or four times more than you actually needed.
Firms winked at the practice as long as the stock was correct at the end of the month.
I have had the experience myself of cases where a man merely winked and the auctioneer took his bid.
They have encouraged this, or at all events have winked at it.
The system is either winked at by the police, or nobody wishes to prevent it being used, because it is for the public safety.
A few lights winked, a few little bells tinkled, and then he slowly got up and gently pulled the levers, and sat down again.
During war time that might have been winked at, because every well-grown lad would make a soldier, and was absolutely necessary.
