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blink of an eye

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Yoong Liat
 
Reply Mon 17 Dec, 2007 08:05 am
In my country, a police car takes about 20 minutes to arrive at the scene of crime. Is it correct to say, "The police arrived in the blink of an eye"? I don't think so.

Many thanks.
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 471 • Replies: 7
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Setanta
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 Dec, 2007 08:08 am
No . . . i would agree that "in the blink of an eye" would be an inappropriate locution to describe a 20 minute wait. That expression means an immeasurably brief period of time.
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Yoong Liat
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 Dec, 2007 08:14 am
Thanks, Setanta.
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SULLYFISH66
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 Dec, 2007 05:58 pm
However, if you lived in Detroit, 20 minutes would be considered a "blink of an eye."
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contrex
 
  1  
Reply Wed 19 Dec, 2007 03:32 am
An alternative is the wink of an eye.
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McTag
 
  1  
Reply Wed 19 Dec, 2007 03:42 am
contrex wrote:
An alternative is the wink of an eye.


Is it? I've never heard or seen that expression.

The expression "in a blink of an eye" means "in an instant"; literally, in the length of time it takes your eyes to blink.

(a wink can be a slow thing, e.g. when Mae West did it! Smile )
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contrex
 
  1  
Reply Wed 19 Dec, 2007 03:48 am
McTag wrote:
contrex wrote:
An alternative is the wink of an eye.


Is it? I've never heard or seen that expression.

The expression "in a blink of an eye" means "in an instant"; literally, in the length of time it takes your eyes to blink.

(a wink can be a slow thing, e.g. when Mae West did it! Smile )
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McTag
 
  1  
Reply Wed 19 Dec, 2007 03:53 am
Okay, now I've seen it.

Looks like the usual culprits have changed a perfectly good expression, for no good reason.

Smile
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