wink
verb (used without object)
to close and open one eye quickly as a hint or signal or with some sly meaning (often followed byat ).
had been winking
-
past perfect progressiveof wink.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The group of girls whom Vonetta had been winking at were the main cacklers.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Instantly she was alert with fright, and sat up, and looked down into the valley, where the heat lightning, which had been winking along the line of the hills, suddenly sharpened into a flash.
From The Vehement Flame by Margaret Wade Campbell Deland
The sun, which had been winking farewells to us over the rim above, dropped out of sight as suddenly as though it had fallen into a well.
From Roughing it De Luxe by John T. McCutcheon
“So, then, we’ve lost a day,” murmured Pauline, who in an attitude of helpless repose, had been winking with a languid expression at the luminous subject of discussion.
From The Island Queen by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne
Then I realized that the turnkey had been winking to me to challenge the jury.
From Romance by Joseph Conrad
