Wink used to mean shut both your eyes for a while. So when Shakespeare wrote:When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
For all the day they view things unrespected;
But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.
He wasn't talking about closing one eye in a licentious manner. So what happens if you pull somebody's hood down over their eyes? You blind them and thus hoodwink them.
Thank you, Inky Fool. Once again you have restored life to a dead metaphor. Before, 'hoodwink' was just a mere bunch of sounds (and, you know, letters) to me. But now I know what hoodwinking really is! And now I solemnly swear that I will hoodwink the next person I see wearing a hood (as long as they're not bigger than me, or it's socially inappropriate, or some other good reason like that). (Damn Google won't let me sign in to post, so I'll just have to be anonymous -- Gordon the Anonymous)
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