twinkle
twinkle
Definition
twin·kle (twiŋ′kəl)
intransitive verb -·kled, -·kling
- to shine with quick, intermittent flashes of light, as some stars; sparkle
- to light up, as with amusement: said of the eyes
- to move about or back and forth quickly and lightly, as a dancer's feet; flicker
- Archaic to wink or blink
Etymology: ME twinklen < OE twinclian, freq. of base seen in MHG zwinken, to wink
transitive verb
- to make twinkle
- to emit (light) in quick, intermittent flashes
noun
- a flicker or wink of the eye
- a quick flash of amusement, etc. in the eye
- a quick, intermittent flash of light; sparkle
- the very brief time it takes to wink; twinkling
twin′·kler noun
twinkle
Synonyms
twinkle
Usage Examples
Object
- light: Plus, twinkling lights follow along with every tune.
- eye: Holding the old man's haughty, twinkling eyes, I brushed past them both.
- star: By night, dine beneath twinkling stars at the Blue Lagoon, then party till the sun rises in Disney Village.
Converse of object
- see: You see the wild twinkle in mine - I'm a dirty country lass in a fouler city.
- have: Every blade of grass and leaf had a small twinkle as the sun started to brighten.
Adjective modifier
- mischievous: Suddenly he turned upon me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
- wicked: Neville now fixed me with a wicked twinkle in his eyes.
- definite: Robbie had a definite twinkle in his eye after this dive.
Modifies a noun
- toe: This all culminates in an extravaganza of a show at the end of the year letting you show off your amazing twinkle toes!
Modifying Another Word
- still: As I staggered across the valley to the campsite their torches still twinkled half way up the black obelisk.
- brightly: That night as she looked into the sky she saw the stars twinkling brightly, and the smiling moon.
Noun used with modifier
- wrinkle: We recommend bliss baggage handler, or for more mature skin, bliss wrinkle twinkle.
- star: They would talk the night away watching the stars twinkle in the warm sky.
- light: Luxuriate in the comfortable window seat and enjoy a glass of wine in the evening while you watch the lights twinkle across the water.
Preposition: in
- sky: They would talk the night away watching the stars twinkle in the warm sky.
- eye: Like the late Fred Jordan himself, John sings with a twinkle in the eye.
Preposition: of
- eye: With a mere 2 hr flight time, we feel like we've switched cultures in the twinkle of an eye.
Preposition: with
- light: A cozy log cabin twinkles with light on the banks of a placid loch.
Preposition: like
- star: It sparkled and twinkled like the stars in the sky, its enchanting patterns never ceased to hold Deborah's attention.
twinkle Quotes
A little round, fat, oily man of God, Was one I chiefly marked among the fry: He had a roguish twinkle in his eye.
This is the dead land This is cactus land Here the stone images Are raised, here they receive The supplication of a dead man's hand Under the twinkle of a fading star.
Browse dictionary entries near twinkle
- twinkie
- twinge
- twinflower
- twine
- twinborn
- twinberry
- twinaxial cable
- twinax
- twin-size
- twin set
- twinkling
- twinned
- twinning
- twirl
- twirp
- twist
- twist drill
- twist pitch
- twist ratio
- twist-tie
