NICTATE

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Present simple: I / you / we / they nictate ... he / she / it nictates

Past simple: nictated

Past participle: nictated

-ing form: nictating

Meaning:

Briefly shut the eyes

Example:

The TV announcer never seems to blink

Synonyms:

blink; nictate; nictitate; wink

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "nictate" is one way to...):

act involuntarily; act reflexively (act in an uncontrolled manner)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "nictate"):

palpebrate (wink or blink, especially repeatedly)

bat; flutter (wink briefly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

nictation (a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly)