wind

wind1 [ wınd ] noun ***

1. ) count or uncount a natural current of air that moves fast enough for you to feel it:

A cold wind blew and the rain fell in torrents.

We'll head back to the shore if the wind picks up (=gets stronger).

The helicopter can't reach them until the wind drops (=becomes less strong).

a light/strong wind: Fires spread by strong winds have caused widespread damage.

a gust of wind (=a short strong wind): A large gust of wind swept his hat into the sea.

=> HEADWIND, TAIL WIND

2. ) singular the air in your lungs:

The heavy blow knocked the wind out of him.

3. ) uncount BRITISH gas produced in your stomach that makes you feel uncomfortable

a ) break wind to let the gas in your stomach out through your ANUS

4. ) uncount INFORMAL conversation or talk that has no meaning

get wind of something INFORMAL

to find out about something secret or private:

De Gaulle got wind of the invasion plan in August 1942.

get the wind up INFORMAL

to become nervous or frightened

go where the wind blows

to move without planning or thinking:

Hugh has a house in Atlanta, but he said he would go where the wind blows.

in the wind

certain to happen or likely to happen:

I believe some change is in the wind.

see which way the wind blows/is blowing

to wait until you have more information before making a decision

take the wind out of someone's sails

to make someone feel less confident, usually by saying or doing something unexpected

winds of change MAINLY JOURNALISM

actions or influences that will lead to important political or social changes:

The winds of change are sweeping away corruption and cynicism.

=> CAUTION1, ILL WIND

wind

wind 2 [ wınd ] verb transitive

1. ) often passive to hit someone in the stomach and cause them to have difficulty breathing:

The punch winded me.

2. ) BRITISH to BURP a baby

wind

wind 3 [ waınd ] (past tense and past participle wound [ waund ] ) verb **

1. ) transitive to wrap or twist something around itself or something else:

The yarn was tightly wound into a small ball.

wind something around something: I put on my coat and wound a scarf around my neck.

2. ) intransitive or transitive to follow a course or path that curves or twists a lot:

The road winds gradually upward toward the ski lodge.

wind along: The path wound along the riverside.

wind your way: The bus is winding its way up the mountain.

wind through: We wound through the narrow streets of the village.

3. ) transitive to make a CASSETTE TAPE or VIDEOTAPE move forward or backward in a machine:

I've wound it back to the beginning.

=> REWIND

a ) wind down/up BRITISH to ROLL the window of a vehicle up or down

4. ) wind or wind up transitive if you wind a watch or clock, you make it operate by turning a part of it around and around:

I forgot to wind my watch. What time is it?

,wind `down phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive or transitive to end or to finish something gradually:

The party started to wind down around 2:00 a.m.

The U.N. has decided to wind down the peacekeeping mission.

a ) to gradually reduce work before stopping completely:

The factory will wind down production before closing next year.

2. ) intransitive to relax after a period of excitement or worry: UNWIND:

Will you be winding down a little by then?

,wind `up phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive to be in a particular place or situation not because you choose to, but because of other things that have happened:

There were no hotels available in San Francisco, so we wound up in Oakland.

Ted wound up owing almost $50,000 in loans for graduate school.

People are winding up in debt.

2. ) transitive to end something:

I'd like to wind up the meeting soon.

a ) transitive BRITISH to close a business

3. ) transitive INFORMAL to make someone angry or upset:

Please don't wind him up, he causes me enough trouble.

4. ) to prepare to pitch the ball in baseball

5. ) transitive BRITISH INFORMAL to trick someone by telling them something that is not true

6. ) transitive same as WIND 3 4

wind

wind 4 [ waınd ] noun count

1. ) a curve or bend in something

2. ) the action of turning a part of a clock or watch to make it operate