▪ I. blinker
(ˈblɪŋkə(r))
[f. as prec. + -er1.]
1. a. One who blinks; a blinking or purblind person.
| 1636 Abp. J. Williams Holy Table (1637) 219 He was but a blinker, and saw..but with half an eye. a 1704 T. Brown Cupid turn'd T. Wks. 1730 I. 113 What does our sly graceless blinker? 1835 Browning Paracelsus i. 20 As earnest blinkers do Whom radiance ne'er distracted. |
b. One who casts blinks or sly glances. Sc.
| 1786 Burns Ep. to Mayor Logan x, The witching, cursed, delicious blinkers Hae put me hyte. |
2. a. pl. A kind of spectacles for directing the sight in one direction only, so as to cure squinting, or for protecting the eyes from cold, dust, etc.; = goggles.
| 1732 M. Green Grotto 10 (R.) Bigots who but one way see Through blinkers of authority. 1803 Bristed Pedest. Tour I. 38 A little fellow, with blinkers over his eyes. 1851 Thackeray Eng. Hum. iv. (1858) 205 Who only dare to look up at life through blinkers. |
b. Leather screens attached to a horse's bridle on each side, to prevent his seeing in any direction except straight ahead.
| 1789 W. Gilpin Tour Lakes II. 154 (R.) On being pressed by her friends..to go to court; ‘By no means,’ said she, ‘unless I may be allowed to wear blinkers.’ 1861 Musgrave By-Roads 174 An old female hostler, who gave us neither cruppers, blinkers, or breeching. |
3. The eye. (slang.)
| 1816 ‘Quiz’ Grand Master i. 11 A patent pair of goggle winkers, Conceal'd from public view his blinkers. |
4. A sporting dog that refuses to see and mark the position of game. Cf. blinking vbl. n. 3.
| 1814 W. Dobson Kunopædia 98 We shall, I fear, be compelled to class him along with the blinker of a very different nature, the brute of perverse..yet snivelling disposition. 1845 Youatt Dog iii. 91 The chastisement..would make the setter disgusted..and leave him a mere blinker. 1848 W. N. Hutchinson Dog Breaking 94 Excess of punishment has made many a dog of good promise a confirmed blinker. |
5. An intermittent flash-light. In full, blinker light. U.S.
| 1923 R. D. Paine Comr. Rolling Ocean xvi. 285 Take this bug-light [sc. an electric torch] and use it as a blinker. You learned the Morse code at Camp Stuart. 1943 J. Steinbeck Once there was a War (1959) i. 52 The second in command takes up the blinker and signals. 1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 432 Motels, blinker lights, salt-eroded billboards. 1964 ‘M. E. Chaber’ Six who Ran (1965) i. 17 Three passenger cars were stolen... One of them was converted into a State Police car with the aid of a blinker light. |
Hence ˈblinkerless a. (sense 2 b.)
| 1872 Daily News 23 Oct., Fleet blinkerless horses. |
▪ II. ˈblinker, v.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To put blinkers on; fig. to blind, hoodwink, deceive.
| 1865 W. Palgrave Arabia I. 140 But Telal was not so easily to be blinkered, and kept to his first judgment. |