What it means
Something that’s on the blink is on its way out: it works one minute, packs in the next, and always chooses the worst possible moment. You’ll hear it for boilers, cars, telly remotes, tills, even your mate’s ancient phone. It’s a polite-ish way of saying it’s knackered, but with that hint it might survive one more bodge.
Usage examples
"Boiler’s on the blink again, so it’s a kettle wash at the sink. Landlord reckons turning it off and on counts as maintenance."
"The wifi has been on the blink all morning, it drops out every time I get to the good bit of the meeting."
"Don’t trust that cash machine, it’s been on the blink for days and keeps swallowing cards like a metal goblin."
"My old Fiesta’s on the blink again, starts if it fancies it and sulks if there’s a cloud in the sky."
"The dishwasher’s on the blink, so now the kitchen looks like a soggy plate graveyard and everyone’s suddenly too busy to help."
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Where it comes from
Recorded in British English from the early 20th century, this phrase grew out of blink in the sense of flickering or wavering. It first suited things that behaved in a stop-start, unreliable way, especially lights or bits of machinery. From there, on the blink settled into everyday use for anything faulty or not quite right.
Other ways to say it
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