n.
Pronunciation: ' wind, archaic or poetic ' w ī nd
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German wint wind, Latin ventus, Greek a ē nai to blow, Sanskrit v ā ti it blows
Date: before 12th century
1 a : a natural movement of air of any velocity especially : the earth's air or the gas surrounding a planet in natural motion horizontally b : an artificially produced movement of air c : SOLAR WIND , STELLAR WIND
2 a : a destructive force or influence b : a force or agency that carries along or influences : TENDENCY , TREND <withstood the wind s of popular opinion ― Felix Frankfurter>
3 a : BREATH 4A b : BREATH 2A c : the pit of the stomach : SOLAR PLEXUS
4 : gas generated in the stomach or the intestines <pass wind >
5 a : compressed air or gas b archaic : AIR
6 : something that is insubstantial: as a : mere talk : idle words b : NOTHING , NOTHINGNESS c : vain self-satisfaction
7 a : air carrying a scent (as of a hunter or game) b : slight information especially about something secret : INTIMATION <got wind of the plan>
8 a : musical wind instruments especially as distinguished from strings and percussion b plural : players of wind instruments
9 a : a direction from which the wind may blow : a point of the compass especially : one of the cardinal points b : the direction from which the wind is blowing
– wind · less \ -l ə s \ adjective
– wind · less · ly adverb
– before the wind : in the same direction as the main force of the wind
– close to the wind : as nearly as possible against the main force of the wind
– have the wind of
1 : to be to windward of
2 : to be on the scent of
3 : to have a superior position to
– in the wind : about to happen : ASTIR , AFOOT <change is in the wind >
– near the wind
1 : close to the wind
2 : close to a point of danger : near the permissible limit
– off the wind : away from the direction from which the wind is blowing
– on the wind : toward the direction from which the wind is blowing
– to the wind or to the winds : ASIDE , AWAY <threw caution to the wind >
– under the wind
1 : to leeward
2 : in a place protected from the wind : under the lee