wink
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with a wink
An indication that a statement is not meant completely seriously, but contains humor, irony, or a hidden joke.
Er erzählte die Geschichte mit einem Augenzwinkern, also sollte man nicht jedes Detail glauben.
He told the story with a wink, so you shouldn't believe every detail.
wink
The physical action of briefly closing and reopening one eye, often as a signal or greeting.
Ein kurzes Augenzwinkern von ihr verriet mir, dass sie den Plan verstanden hatte.
A quick wink from her told me that she had understood the plan.
The word is a nominalization of the verb 'zwinkern' (to wink) and is made up of 'Auge' (eye) and 'Zwinkern' (winking). So it literally describes the action of winking with the eye.
Ihr Lächeln und ein schnelles Augenzwinkern zeigten, dass sie einverstanden war.
Her smile and a quick wink showed that she agreed.
The figurative meaning is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'mit einem Augenzwinkern' (with a wink). It expresses that a statement is meant humorously or ironically and should not be taken literally.
Er sagte, er sei der beste Koch der Welt, aber das war natürlich mit einem Augenzwinkern gemeint.
He said he was the best cook in the world, but of course that was meant with a wink.
When 'Augenzwinkern' (wink) is not used in the fixed expression 'mit einem Augenzwinkern' (with a wink), it almost always refers to the concrete physical action. It is often combined with verbs like 'sehen' (to see), 'erwidern' (to return), or 'zuwerfen' (to give someone).
Der Verkäufer warf mir ein verschwörerisches Augenzwinkern zu.
The salesman gave me a conspiratorial wink.
joke
Der Scherz is the funny, non-serious statement or action itself. Das Augenzwinkern, by contrast, is a signal from the speaker that their statement contains humor or irony. When the humor is subtle, both can occur together, but they refer to different aspects.
Mit einem Augenzwinkern behauptete er, er habe im Lotto gewonnen.
With a wink, he claimed that he had won the lottery.
Seine Behauptung, er habe im Lotto gewonnen, war nur ein Scherz.
His claim that he had won the lottery was just a joke.
