A wink is a quick movement of one eye to show friendship or playfulness.
When people wink at each other, it's usually a way of being funny or teasing without actually saying something mean. You might see it on TV when actors are trying to be cool and playful with each other, or you might experience it in real life when a friend is joking around with you. Sometimes people also wink to convey that they're in on the joke, like if someone tells a secret and then winks at another person who knows what's going on. It's a lighthearted way of communicating without using words, and it can add some fun and personality to a conversation or situation.
How common is "wink"?
Word wink is considered uncommon in modern English. It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
verb
(obsolete, intransitive) To close one's eyes in sleep.
(intransitive) To close one's eyes.
(intransitive) Usually followed by at: to look the other way, to turn a blind eye.
(intransitive) To close one's eyes quickly and involuntarily; to blink.
(transitive, intransitive) To blink with only one eye as a message, signal, or suggestion, usually with an implication of conspiracy. (When transitive, the object may be the eye being winked, or the message being conveyed.)
Example: He winked at me. She winked her eye. He winked his assent.
(intransitive) To gleam fitfully or intermittently; to twinkle; to flicker.
Example: Her kitchen is a series of Still Lives; the copper pans wink on the walls.