wind

- 12 dictionary results

wind

1 [n. wind, Literary wahynd; v. wind]

–noun

1.	air in natural motion, as that moving horizontally at any velocity along the earth's surface: A gentle wind blew through the valley. High winds were forecast.

2.	a gale; storm; hurricane.

3.	any stream of air, as that produced by a bellows or fan.

4.	air that is blown or forced to produce a musical sound in singing or playing an instrument.

5.	wind instrument.

6.	wind instruments collectively.

7.	the winds, the members of an orchestra or band who play the wind instruments.

8.	breath or breathing: to catch one's wind.

9.	the power of breathing freely, as during continued exertion.

10.	any influential force or trend: strong winds of public opinion.

11.	a hint or intimation: to catch wind of a stock split.

12.	air carrying an animal's odor or scent.

13.	solar wind.

14.	empty talk; mere words.

15.	vanity; conceitedness.

16.	gas generated in the stomach and intestines.

17.	Boxing Slang. the pit of the stomach where a blow may cause a temporary shortness of breath; solar plexus.

18.	any direction of the compass.

19.	a state of unconcern, recklessness, or abandon: to throw all caution to the winds.

–verb (used with object)

20.	to expose to wind or air.

21.	to follow by the scent.

22.	to make short of wind or breath, as by vigorous exercise.

23.	to let recover breath, as by resting after exertion.

–verb (used without object)

24.	to catch the scent or odor of game.

—Idioms

25.

between wind and water,

a.	(of a ship) at or near the water line.

b.	in a vulnerable or precarious spot: In her profession one is always between wind and water.

26.	break wind, to expel gas from the stomach and bowels through the anus.

27.	how the wind blows or lies, what the tendency or probability is: Try to find out how the wind blows. Also, which way the wind blows.

28.	in the teeth of the wind, sailing directly into the wind; against the wind. Also, in the eye of the wind, in the wind's eye.

29.	in the wind, about to occur; imminent; impending: There's good news in the wind.

30.

off the wind,

a.	away from the wind; with the wind at one's back.

b.	(of a sailing vessel) headed into the wind with sails shaking or aback.

31.	on the wind, as close as possible to the wind. Also, on a wind.

32.

sail close to the wind,

a.	Also, sail close on a wind. to sail as nearly as possible in the direction from which the wind is blowing.

b.	to practice economy in the management of one's affairs.

c.	to verge on a breach of propriety or decency.

d.	to escape (punishment, detection, etc.) by a narrow margin; take a risk.

33.	take the wind out of one's sails, to surprise someone, esp. with unpleasant news; stun; shock; flabbergast: She took the wind out of his sails when she announced she was marrying someone else.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME (n.), OE; c. D, G Wind, ON vindr, Goth winds, L ventus

Synonyms:
1. Wind, air, zephyr, breeze, blast, gust refer to a quantity of air set in motion naturally. Wind applies to any such air in motion, blowing with whatever degree of gentleness or violence. Air, usually poetical, applies to a very gentle motion of the air. Zephyr, also poetical, refers to an air characterized by its soft, mild quality. A breeze is usually a cool, light wind. Blast and gust apply to quick, forceful winds of short duration; blast implies a violent rush of air, often a cold one, whereas a gust is little more than a flurry. 16. flatulence.

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wind

2 [wahynd]

verb, wound or (Rare

) wind⋅ed [wahyn-did]

; wind⋅ing; noun

–verb (used without object)

1.	to change direction; bend; turn; take a frequently bending course; meander: The river winds through the forest.

2.	to have a circular or spiral course or direction.

3.	to coil or twine about something: The ivy winds around the house.

4.	to proceed circuitously or indirectly.

5.	to undergo winding or winding up.

6.	to be twisted or warped, as a board.

–verb (used with object)

7.	to encircle or wreathe, as with something twined, wrapped, or placed about.

8.	to roll or coil (thread, string, etc.) into a ball, on a spool, or the like (often fol. by up).

9.	to remove or take off by unwinding (usually fol. by off or from): She wound the thread off the bobbin.

10.	to twine, fold, wrap, or place about something.

11.	to make (a mechanism) operational by tightening the mainspring with a key (often fol. by up): to wind a clock; to wind up a toy.

12.	to haul or hoist by means of a winch, windlass, or the like (often fol. by up).

13.	to make (one's or its way) in a bending or curving course: The stream winds its way through the woods.

14.	to make (one's or its way) by indirect, stealthy, or devious procedure: to wind one's way into another's confidence.

–noun

15.	the act of winding.

16.	a single turn, twist, or bend of something wound: If you give it another wind, you'll break the mainspring.

17.	a twist producing an uneven surface.

—Verb phrases

18.

wind down,

a.	to lessen in intensity so as to bring or come to a gradual end: The war is winding down.

b.	to calm down; relax: He's too excited tonight to wind down and sleep.

19.

wind up,

a.	to bring to a state of great tension; excite (usually used in the past participle): He was all wound up before the game.

b.	to bring or come to an end; conclude: to wind up a sales campaign.

c.	to settle or arrange in order to conclude: to wind up one's affairs.

d.	to become ultimately: to wind up as a country schoolteacher.

e.	Baseball. (of a pitcher) to execute a windup.

—Idiom

20.	out of wind, (of boards, plasterwork, etc.) flat and true.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME winden, OE windan; c. D, G winden, ON vinda, Goth -windan; akin to wend, wander

wind

3 [wahynd, wind]

–verb (used with object), wind⋅ed or wound, wind⋅ing.

1.	to blow (a horn, a blast, etc.).

2.	to sound by blowing.

3.	to signal or direct by blasts of the horn or the like.

Origin:
1375–1425; late ME; special use of wind ¹

WInd

West Indian.

Also, W.Ind.

Wind River

[wind]

–noun

a river in W central Wyoming, flowing SE and joining the Popo Agie River to form the Bighorn River. 120 mi. (193 km) long.

Link To wind

wind¹ (wĭnd)

1. Moving air, especially a natural and perceptible movement of air parallel to or along the ground.
2. A movement of air generated artificially, as by bellows or a fan.
3. The direction from which a movement of air comes: The wind is north-northwest.
4. A movement of air coming from one of the four cardinal points of the compass: the four winds.
5. Breath, especially normal or adequate breathing; respiration: had the wind knocked out of them.
6. Gas produced in the stomach or intestines during digestion; flatulence.
7. The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or orchestra. Often used in the plural.
8. Wind instruments or their players considered as a group. Often used in the plural.
9. Woodwinds. Often used in the plural.
10. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war.
11. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change.
12. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
13. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
1. The direction from which a movement of air comes: The wind is north-northwest.
2. A movement of air coming from one of the four cardinal points of the compass: the four winds.
3. Breath, especially normal or adequate breathing; respiration: had the wind knocked out of them.
4. Gas produced in the stomach or intestines during digestion; flatulence.
5. The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or orchestra. Often used in the plural.
6. Wind instruments or their players considered as a group. Often used in the plural.
7. Woodwinds. Often used in the plural.
8. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war.
9. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change.
10. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
11. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
Moving air carrying sound, an odor, or a scent.
1. Breath, especially normal or adequate breathing; respiration: had the wind knocked out of them.
2. Gas produced in the stomach or intestines during digestion; flatulence.
3. The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or orchestra. Often used in the plural.
4. Wind instruments or their players considered as a group. Often used in the plural.
5. Woodwinds. Often used in the plural.
6. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war.
7. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change.
8. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
9. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
Music
1. The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or orchestra. Often used in the plural.
2. Wind instruments or their players considered as a group. Often used in the plural.
3. Woodwinds. Often used in the plural.
4. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war.
5. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change.
6. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
7. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
1. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war.
2. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change.
3. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
4. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
Information, especially of something concealed; intimation: Trouble will ensue if wind of this scandal gets out.
1. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
2. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.

tr.v. wind·ed, wind·ing, winds

To expose to free movement of air; ventilate or dry.
1. To detect the smell of; catch a scent of.
2. To pursue by following a scent.
To cause to be out of or short of breath.
To afford a recovery of breath: stopped to wind and water the horses.

[Middle English, from Old English; see wē- in Indo-European roots.]

wind² (wīnd)

v. wound (wound), wind·ing, winds

v. tr.

To wrap (something) around a center or another object once or repeatedly: wind string around a spool.
To wrap or encircle (an object) in a series of coils; entwine: wound her injured leg with a bandage; wound the waist of the gown with lace and ribbons.
1. To go along (a curving or twisting course): wind a path through the mountains.
2. To proceed on (one's way) with a curving or twisting course.
3. To coil the spring of (a mechanism) by turning a stem or cord, for example: wind a watch.
4. To coil (thread, for example), as onto a spool or into a ball.
5. To remove or unwind (thread, for example), as from a spool: wound the line off the reel.
To introduce in a disguised or devious manner; insinuate: He wound a plea for money into his letter.
To turn (a crank, for example) in a series of circular motions.
1. To coil the spring of (a mechanism) by turning a stem or cord, for example: wind a watch.
2. To coil (thread, for example), as onto a spool or into a ball.
3. To remove or unwind (thread, for example), as from a spool: wound the line off the reel.
To lift or haul by means of a windlass or winch: Wind the pail to the top of the well.

v. intr.

To move in or have a curving or twisting course: a river winding through a valley.
1. To move in or have a spiral or circular course: a column of smoke winding into the sky.
2. To be coiled or spiraled: The vine wound about the trellis.
To be twisted or whorled into curved forms.
To proceed misleadingly or insidiously in discourse or conduct.
To become wound: a clock that winds with difficulty.

The act of winding.
A single turn, twist, or curve.

Phrasal Verb(s):
wind down Informal

To diminish gradually in energy, intensity, or scope: The party wound down as guests began to leave.
To relax; unwind.

wind up

To come or bring to a finish; end: when the meeting wound up; wind up a project.
To put in order; settle: wound up her affairs before leaving the country.
Informal To arrive in a place or situation after or because of a course of action: took a long walk and wound up at the edge of town; overspent and wound up in debt.
Baseball To swing back the arm and raise the foot in preparation for pitching the ball.

[Middle English winden, from Old English windan.]

wind³ (wīnd, wĭnd)

tr.v. wind·ed (wīn'dĭd, wĭn'-) or wound (wound), wind·ing, winds Music

To blow (a wind instrument).
To sound by blowing.

[From wind¹.]
wind'er n.

Word Origin & History

wind (n.)

"air in motion," O.E. wind, from P.Gmc. *wendas (cf. O.S., O.Fris., Du. wind, O.N. vindr, O.H.G. wind, Ger. Wind, Goth. winds), from PIE *we-nt-o- "blowing," from base *we- "to blow" (cf. Skt. va-, Gk. aemi-, Goth. waian, O.E. wawan, O.H.G. wajan, Ger. wehen, O.C.S. vejati "to blow;" Skt. vatah, Avestan vata-, Hittite huwantis, L. ventus, O.C.S. vetru, Lith. vejas "wind;" Lith. vetra "tempest, storm;" O.Ir. feth "air;" Welsh gwynt, Bret. gwent "wind"). Normal pronunciation evolution made this word rhyme with kind and rind (Donne rhymes it with mind), but shifted to a short vowel 18c., probably from influence of windy, where the short vowel is natural. A sad loss for poets, who now must rhyme it only with sinned and a handful of weak words. Symbolic of emptiness and vanity since c.1290.

"I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind." [Ernest Dowson, 1896]

To get wind of "receive information about" is recorded from 1809, perhaps from Fr. avoir le vent de. Wind-chill index is recorded from 1939. The verb meaning "tire, put out of breath" is attested from 1811.

wind (v.)

"move by turning and twisting," O.E. windan "to turn, twist, wind" (class III strong verb; past tense wand, pp. wunden), from P.Gmc. *wendanan (cf. O.S. windan, O.N. vinda, O.Fris. winda, Du. winden, O.H.G. wintan, Ger. winden, Goth. windan "to wind"), from PIE *wendh- "to turn, wind, weave" (cf. L. viere "twist, plait, weave," vincire "bind," Lith. vyti "twist, wind"). Related to wend, which is its causative form, and to wander. Wind down "come to a conclusion" is recorded from 1952; wind up "come to a conclusion" is from 1825. Winding sheet "shroud of a corpse" is attested from c.1420.

Science Dictionary

wind (wĭnd) Pronunciation Key

(click for larger image in new window)

A current of air, especially a natural one that moves along or parallel to the ground, moving from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Surface wind is measured by anemometers or its effect on objects, such as trees. The large-scale pattern of winds on Earth is governed primarily by differences in the net solar radiation received at the Earth's surface, but it is also influenced by the Earth's rotation, by the distribution of continents and oceans, by ocean currents, and by topography. On a local scale, the differences in rate of heating and cooling of land versus bodies of water greatly affect wind formation. Prevailing global winds are classified into three major belts in the Northern Hemisphere and three corresponding belts in the Southern Hemisphere. The trade winds blow generally east to west toward a low-pressure zone at the equator throughout the region from 30° north to 30° south of the equator. The westerlies blow from west to east in the temperate mid-latitude regions (from 30° to 60° north and south of the equator), and the polar easterlies blow from east to west out of high-pressure areas in the polar regions. See also Beaufort scale , chinook , foehn , monsoon , Santa Ana.

Idioms & Phrases

wind

In addition to the idioms beginning with wind, also see before the wind; break wind; get wind of; gone with the wind; ill wind; in the wind; like greased lightning (the wind); sail close to the wind; second wind; something in the wind; straw in the wind; take the wind out of one's sails; three sheets to the wind; throw caution to the winds; twist in the wind; way the wind blows.

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