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twinkling

[twing-kling]
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noun
  1. an act of shining with intermittent gleams of light.
  2. the time required for a wink; an instant.
  3. Archaic. winking; a wink.
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Origin of twinkling

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at twinkle, -ing1
Related formsun·twin·kling, adjective

twinkle

[twing-kuh l]
verb (used without object), twin·kled, twin·kling.
  1. to shine with a flickering gleam of light, as a star or distant light.
  2. to sparkle in the light: The diamond on her finger twinkled in the firelight.
  3. (of the eyes) to be bright with amusement, pleasure, etc.
  4. to move flutteringly and quickly, as flashes of light; flit.
  5. Archaic. to wink; blink.
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verb (used with object), twin·kled, twin·kling.
  1. to emit (light) in intermittent gleams or flashes.
  2. Archaic. to wink (the eyes or eyelids).
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noun
  1. a flickering or intermittent brightness or light.
  2. a scintillating brightness in the eyes; sparkle.
  3. the time required for a wink; a twinkling.
  4. Archaic. a wink.
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Origin of twinkle

before 900; Middle English twinklen (v.), Old English twinclian; see twink, -le
Related formstwin·kler, nounun·twin·kled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for twinkling

bright, flashing, gleaming, glimmering, glistening, shimmering, shining, instant, flash, moment, blink, second, shake, fire, scintillation, twinkle, chatoyant, scintillating

Examples from the Web for twinkling

Historical Examples of twinkling

  • Twinkling lights were all that I could see of the noted town.

    On the Mexican Highlands

    William Seymour Edwards

  • Twinkling, shining, expanding, the stars grew into a pair of eyes in the darkness.

    Camps and Trails

    Henry Abbott

  • Twinkling eyes with red lashes shone with the utmost good-will.

  • A beacon-light far off, Twinkling across the waves like a star!

    Songs from Vagabondia

    Bliss Carman and Richard Hovey

  • Twinkling lights also appeared in the night heavens between the swiftly flying clouds.

British Dictionary definitions for twinkling

twinkling

twink (twɪŋk)

noun
  1. a very short time; instant; momentAlso called: twinkling of an eye
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twinkle

verb (mainly intr)
  1. to emit or reflect light in a flickering manner; shine brightly and intermittently; sparkletwinkling stars
  2. (of the eyes) to sparkle, esp with amusement or delight
  3. rare to move about quickly
  4. (also tr) rare to wink (the eyes); blink
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noun
  1. an intermittent gleam of light; flickering brightness; sparkle or glimmer
  2. an instant
  3. a rare word for wink 1
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Derived Formstwinkler, nountwinkly, adjective

Word Origin for twinkle

Old English twinclian; related to Middle High German zwinken to blink
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for twinkling

twinkle

v.

Old English twinclian, frequentative of twincan "to wink, blink;" related to Middle High German zwinken, German zwinkern, and probably somehow imitative. The noun is recorded from 1540s. Related: Twinkled; twinkling. Phrase in the twinkling of an eye is attested from c.1300.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with twinkling

twinkling

see in the twinkling of an eye.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.