Blink over
/blɪŋk ˈoʊvər/
verb phraseB2
Definition
"Blink over" is a phrasal verb meaning to glance or look at something very quickly, usually just for a short moment. It can suggest that the person does not focus deeply or carefully but just takes a quick look.
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⚡ See It in Action
To look quickly at something or someone
- •She blinked over the report but did not read it carefully.
- •He blinked over the crowd before finding his friend.
- •The teacher blinked over the homework assignments quickly.
To pay only brief or little attention to something
- •The manager blinked over the details and missed the mistake.
- •They blinked over the warning signs and continued as usual.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "blink over" like "look," but much faster and lighter—like a quick flash of the eyes, not a long stare.
- ✓Picture your eyes opening and closing quickly, like a camera flash capturing a moment.
- ✓It's the feeling when you see something briefly but do not stop to think about it deeply.
- ✓Sounds like "blink over" → imagine blinking your eyes as you move them quickly from one place to another.
- ✓Imagine a character in a movie who quickly scans a room without focusing on any one person.
- ✓NOT like "stare" (which is long and focused), "blink over" is fast and light.
- ✓NOT like "glance" alone, because "blink over" emphasizes the quickness linked to blinking.
- ✓NOT like "examine," which means to look carefully and slowly.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Glance: a quick look (Use when you want to say someone looks briefly but without the blinking idea)
- •Scan: to look over something quickly but more carefully (Use when someone looks quickly but tries to find something)
- •Skim: to read something quickly without detail (Use when referring to reading, not just looking)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "blink" (to close and open eyes quickly) + "over" (a preposition meaning across or above)
- •Etymology: "Blink" comes from Old English "blincan," meaning to close the eyes quickly; "over" is a common English preposition indicating movement or direction
- •Historical development: "Blink" has been used since Old English; "blink over" as a phrase is a modern combination to describe very quick looking
- •Modern usage: Used in informal speech or writing to describe a very fast or light look, often not careful or detailed
💭 Reflect & Connect
•When might it be better to blink over something instead of looking carefully?
•How can blinking while looking affect what you notice or miss in a situation?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She blinked over the message ___ without really understanding the details.
2.When you blink over a book, you usually ___ read every word carefully.
3.He blinked over the painting quickly, so he ___ notice the small details.
4.Unlike a careful look, blink over means your eyes ___ open and close fast while looking.
5.The teacher blinked over the students' work and ___ some mistakes.
6.People sometimes blink over important signs because they ___ paying full attention.
7.To find the right person in a crowd, you might blink over many faces ___ stopping long on any one.