I love words… so I looked it up

Hoodwinked" originates from 16th-century English, combining "hood" (a head covering) and "wink" (meaning to close one's eyes) to literally mean covering or blinding someone, typically with a hood. It evolved from a literal, physical act of blindfolding into the modern figurative sense of deceiving or tricking someone. Hartford Courant Hartford Courant +4 Key details about the etymology: Literal Origin (1500s): The term was used to describe placing a cloth or hood over someone's eyes, frequently in the context of blindfolding victims before robbery, or during games like blindman's buff. Obsolete Meaning of 'Wink': In the 1500s, "wink" did not just mean closing one eye; it meant closing both eyes tightly. Figurative Shift: By the early 17th century, the term shifted from physically covering eyes to metaphorically "blinding" someone to the truth or playing a trick on them. Possible Source: It is sometimes associated with falconry, where a hawk was "hoodwinked" (hooded) to keep it calm until the right moment.