winkle

[ wing-kuhl ]

noun
  1. any of various marine gastropods; periwinkle1.

verb (used with object),win·kled, win·kling.
  1. Informal. to pry (something) out of a place, as winkle meat is dug out of its shell with a pin (usually followed by out).

Origin of winkle

1
First recorded in 1575–85; short for periwinkle1

Words Nearby winkle

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How to use winkle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for winkle

winkle

/ (ˈwɪŋkəl) /


noun
verb
  1. (tr; usually foll by out, out of, etc) informal, mainly British to extract or prise out

Origin of winkle

1
C16: shortened from periwinkle 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012