verb / noun
twinkle
TWIN-kuhl/ˈtwɪŋkl/
A brief, lively sparkle.
The star gives a brief twinkle against the darker sky.
Etymology
The pieces suggest repeated blinking: light appears and disappears like an eye rapidly opening and closing. The Old English verb already covered both winking and shining with intermittent light.
In context
the lights begin to twinkle from the Rocks the long day wanes the slow Moon climbs
More examples
- Her eyes twinkled with amusement.
- Lights were twinkling across the harbor.
- A distant twinkle caught his attention.
Forms
twinkle · twinkles · twinkled · twinkling