twinkle
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English
Etymology
From Middle English twinclen, twynclen, from Old English twinclian (“to twinkle”), equivalent to twink (“to wink; blink; twinkle”) + -le (frequentative suffix). Compare German zwinkern (“to wink; twinkle”).
Pronunciation
Verb
twinkle (third-person singular simple present twinkles, present participle twinkling, simple past and past participle twinkled)
- (of a source of light) To shine with a flickering light; to glimmer.
- We could see the lights of the village twinkling in the distance.
- 1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. , London: Sam Smith, and Benj Walford, printers to the Royal Society, , →OCLC:
- These stars do not twinkle when viewed through telescopes that have large apertures.
- 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; , volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
- The western sky twinkled with stars.
- 1950 January, Arthur F. Beckenham, “With British Railways to the Far North”, in Railway Magazine, page 8:
- As the train rumbled slowly over the Forth Bridge, the western sky was aflame with a particularly gorgeous sunset, and lights were twinkling from the small craft riding at anchor on the calm waters of the firth.
- (chiefly of eyes) To be bright with delight.
- Synonym: sparkle
- His shrewd little eyes twinkled roguishly.
- To bat, blink or wink the eyes.
- 1922, Mrs. Juliet M. Hueffer Soskice, Chapters from Childhood: Reminiscences of an Artist's Granddaughter, page 165:
- She smiled and gave a little nod and twinkled her eyes […]
- 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: , London: R Sare, , →OCLC:
- The Owl Fell a Moping and Twinkling.
- To flit to and fro.
- 1988, Dorothy Gilman, Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle, page 190:
- A butterfly twinkled among the vines […]
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
to shine with a flickering light; to glimmer
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to be bright with delight
to bat, blink or wink the eyes
to flit to and fro
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Noun
twinkle (plural twinkles)
- A sparkle or glimmer of light.
- 1980, Robert De Beaugrande, Text, Discourse, and Process:
- Soon the rocket was out of sight, and the flame was only seen as a tiny twinkle of light.
- A sparkle of delight in the eyes.
- He was a rotund, jolly man with a twinkle in his eye.
- A flitting movement.
- 1848, James Russell Lowell, Hebe:
- I saw the twinkle of white feet,
- (colloquial) A brief moment; a twinkling.
- (childish) The female genitalia.
- The popular Swedish cartoon song about genitals was translated as "Willie and Twinkle".
Derived terms
Translations
sparkle or glimmer of light
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sparkle of delight in the eyes