in the twinkling of an eye

in the twinkling of an eye

Immediately; very quickly; at once. Just call us on this number if you have any problems, and we'll be back in the twinkling of an eye. Don't worry, boss, I'll have this report typed up in the twinkling of an eye!

See also: eye, of, twinkling

in the twinkling of an eye

 and in the wink of an eye

Fig. very quickly. In the twinkling of an eye, the deer had disappeared into the forest. I gave Bill ten dollars and, in the twinkling of an eye, he spent it.

See also: eye, of, twinkling

in the twinkling of an eye

In an instant, as in The breakup of Yugoslavia created many warring nations in the twinkling of an eye. This hyperbolic expression, which alludes to the very brief time it takes for an eye to blink, is heard less often today. [c. 1300]

See also: eye, of, twinkling

in the ˌtwinkling of an ˈeye

very quickly: Her mood can change in the twinkling of an eye.

See also: eye, of, twinkling

twinkling of an eye, in the

Very fast; quick as a wink. This reference to the speed of the blink of an eye comes from the Bible, where Paul, writing of the Last Judgment, says, “. . . we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump . . . the dead shall be raised incorruptible” (1 Corinthians, 15:51–52).

See also: of, twinkling