wind

1. 1

   Real or perceived movement of atmospheric air usually caused by convection or differences in air pressure.countableuncountable

   • The wind blew through her hair as she stood on the deck of the ship.
   • As they accelerated onto the motorway, the wind tore the plywood off the car's roof-rack.
2. 2

   Air artificially put in motion by any force or action.countableuncountable

   • the wind of a cannon ball
   • the wind of a bellows
3. 3

   The ability to breathe easily.countableuncountable

   • After the second lap he was already out of wind.
   • The fall knocked the wind out of him.
4. 4

   News of an event, especially by hearsay or gossip.countablefigurativelyuncountable

   • to catch wind of something
   • Steve caught wind of Martha's dalliance with his best friend.
5. 5

   A tendency or trend.countablefigurativelyuncountable

   • the wind of change
6. 6

   One of the four elements of the ancient Greeks and Romans; air.countableuncountable

7. 7

   One of the five basic elements in Indian and Japanese models of the Classical elements.countableuncountable

8. 8

   Flatus.colloquialuncountable

   • to pass wind
9. 9

   Breath modulated by the respiratory and vocal organs, or by an instrument.countableuncountable

   • Their instruments were various in their kind, / Some for the bow, and some for breathing wind.
10. 10

    The woodwind section of an orchestra. Occasionally also used to include the brass section.countableuncountable

syn. draft · gale · wind

1. 1

   To blow air through a wind instrument or horn to make a sound.transitive

   • Earl Walter winds his bugle horn; / To horſe, to horſe, halloo, halloo! / His fiery courſer ſnuffs the morn, / And thronging ſerfs their Lord purſue.
   • Something higher must lie at the back of that eager response to pack-music and winded horn — something born of the smell of the good earth
2. 2

   To cause (someone) to become breathless, as by a blow to the abdomen, or by physical exertion, running, etc.transitive

   • The boxer was winded during round two.
3. 3

   To cause a baby to bring up wind by patting its back after being fed.UKtransitive

4. 4

   To turn a boat or ship around, so that the wind strikes it on the opposite side.UKtransitive

5. 5

   To expose to the wind; to winnow; to ventilate.transitive

6. 6

   To perceive or follow by scent.transitive

   • The hounds winded the game.
7. 7

   To rest (a horse, etc.) in order to allow the breath to be recovered; to breathe.transitive

8. 8

   To turn a windmill so that its sails face into the wind.transitive

1. 1

   To turn coils (of a cord or something similar) around something.transitive

   • to wind thread on a spool or into a ball
2. 2

   To tighten the spring of a clockwork mechanism.transitive

   • Please wind that old-fashioned alarm clock.
3. 3

   To entwist; to enfold; to encircle.transitive

   • Sleep, and I will wind thee in arms.
4. 4

   To travel or follow a path with numerous curves.intransitive

   • Vines wind round a pole. The river winds through the plain.
5. 5

   To have complete control over; to turn and bend at one's pleasure; to vary or alter at will; to regulate; to govern.transitive

   • Were our legislature vested in the person of our prince, he might doubtless wind and turn our constitution at his pleasure.
6. 6

   To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate.transitive

   • You have contrived[…]to wind / Yourself into a power tyrannical.
   • 'Tis pleasant to see what little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse
7. 7

   To cover or surround with something coiled about.transitive

   • to wind a rope with twine
8. 8

   To cause to move by exerting a winding force; to haul or hoist as by a winch.transitive

   • Quickly she slammed the door shut and panicking wound the window up as fast as her slippery fingers would allow.
9. 9

   To turn (a ship) around, end for end.transitive

1. 1

   The act of winding or turning; a turn; a bend; a twist.

syn. wind