She had to blink quickly to clear away the irritation from the dust in the air.
synonyms
winkleflutterflicker
word origin — Middle English 'blinken', from Old Norse 'blinka', meaning 'to shine' or 'to twinkle'.
blink, refute, obliged, transmit, constrain: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from IELTS Vocabulary set 178. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
blink · verb/blɪŋk/
to shut and open the eyes quickly
She had to blink quickly to clear away the irritation from the dust in the air.
Synonyms: winkle, flutter, flicker
Origin: Middle English 'blinken', from Old Norse 'blinka', meaning 'to shine' or 'to twinkle'.
refute · verb/rɪˈfjuːt/
to prove that something is false or incorrect
The scientist was able to refute the theory with comprehensive experimental data.
Synonyms: disprove, rebut, counter
Origin: from Latin 'refutare' meaning 'to drive back' or 'to repel'
obliged · adjective/əˈblaɪdʒd/
feeling required to do something due to a duty or need
I felt obliged to help my neighbor after she brought in my mail while I was on vacation.
Synonyms: obligated, compelled, duty-bound
Origin: from Middle English 'obliged', influenced by the Latin 'obligatus', meaning bound or tied.
transmit · verb/trænzˈmɪt/
to send or convey from one place to another
The radio tower is designed to transmit signals over long distances.
Synonyms: send, convey, transfer
Origin: From Latin 'transmittere,' which means to send across, from 'trans-' meaning 'across' and 'mittere' meaning 'to send.'
constrain · verb/kənˈstreɪn/
to restrict or limit someone or something
The new regulations will constrain the amount of pollutants that factories can emit into the air.
Synonyms: restrict, limit, hinder
Origin: From the Latin 'constrahere', meaning 'to tie together' or 'to hold together'.