winkin

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

"he went off like WINKIN," i.e., very quickly. From WINK, to shut the eye quickly.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “winkin” mean?

"he went off like WINKIN," i.e., very quickly. From WINK, to shut the eye quickly.

Is “winkin” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.