wind: Meaning and Definition of

wind

Pronunciation: (n.wind, Literary wīndv.wind), [key]
— n.
  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. See
  6. wind instruments collectively.
  7. 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. See
  14. empty talk; mere words.
  15. vanity; conceitedness.
  16. gas generated in the stomach and intestines.
  17. 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.
  20. In her profession one is always between wind and water.
    1. (of a ship) at or near the water line.
    2. in a vulnerable or precarious spot:In her profession one is always between wind and water.
  21. to expel gas from the stomach and bowels through the anus.
  22. what the tendency or probability is: Try to find out how the wind blows.
  23. sailing directly into the wind; against the wind.
  24. about to occur; imminent; impending: There's good news in the wind.
    1. away from the wind; with the wind at one's back.
    2. (of a sailing vessel) headed into the wind with sails shaking or aback.
  25. as close as possible to the wind.
    1. Also,sail close on a wind.to sail as nearly as possible in the direction from which the wind is blowing.
    2. to practice economy in the management of one's affairs.
    3. to verge on a breach of propriety or decency.
    4. to escape (punishment, detection, etc.) by a narrow margin; take a risk.
  26. 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.
—v.t.
  1. to expose to wind or air.
  2. to follow by the scent.
  3. to make short of wind or breath, as by vigorous exercise.
  4. to let recover breath, as by resting after exertion.
—v.i.
  1. to catch the scent or odor of game.

wind

Pronunciation: (wīnd), [key]
— v., n. wound wind•ed wind•ing
—v.i.
  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.
—v.t.
  1. to encircle or wreathe, as with something twined, wrapped, or placed about.
  2. to roll or coil (thread, string, etc.) into a ball, on a spool, or the like (often fol. by up).
  3. to remove or take off by unwinding (usually fol. by off or from): She wound the thread off the bobbin.
  4. to twine, fold, wrap, or place about something.
  5. 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.
  6. to haul or hoist by means of a winch, windlass, or the like (often fol. by up).
  7. to make (one's or its way) in a bending or curving course: The stream winds its way through the woods.
  8. to make (one's or its way) by indirect, stealthy, or devious procedure: to wind one's way into another's confidence.
  9. The war is winding down.
    1. to lessen in intensity so as to bring or come to a gradual end:The war is winding down.
    2. to calm down; relax:He's too excited tonight to wind down and sleep.
  10. He was all wound up before the game.
    1. to bring to a state of great tension; excite (usually used in the past participle):He was all wound up before the game.
    2. to bring or come to an end; conclude:to wind up a sales campaign.
    3. to settle or arrange in order to conclude:to wind up one's affairs.
    4. to become ultimately:to wind up as a country schoolteacher.
    5. Baseball.(of a pitcher) to execute a windup.
—n.
  1. the act of winding.
  2. a single turn, twist, or bend of something wound: If you give it another wind, you'll break the mainspring.
  3. a twist producing an uneven surface.
  4. (of boards, plasterwork, etc.) flat and true.

wind

Pronunciation: (wīnd, wind), [key]
— wind•ed 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.

WInd

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. West Indian.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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