/ wɪŋ; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
OF BIRD / INSECT
1.
[ C ] one of the parts of the body of a bird, insect or bat that it uses for flying :
The swan flapped its wings noisily.
wing feathers
—picture at bird
OF PLANE
2.
[ C ] one of the large flat parts that stick out from the side of a plane and help to keep it in the air when it is flying
—picture at plane
OF BUILDING
3.
[ C ] one of the parts of a large building that sticks out from the main part :
the east wing
the new wing of the hospital
OF CAR
4.
( BrE ) ( NAmE fend·er ) [ C ] a part of a car that is above a wheel :
There was a dent in the nearside wing.
—picture at hatchback
OF ORGANIZATION
5.
[ C ] one section of an organization that has a particular function or whose members share the same opinions
SYN arm :
the radical wing of the party
the political wing of the National Resistance Army
—see also left wing , right wing
IN FOOTBALL / HOCKEY
6.
[ C ] = winger
—see also left wing , right wing
7.
[ C ] the far left or right side of the sports field :
He plays on the wing.
IN THEATRE
8.
the wings [ pl. ] the area at either side of the stage that cannot be seen by the audience
•
IDIOMS
- get your wings
- (waiting) in the wings
- on a wing and a prayer
- on the wing
- take sb under your wing
- take wing
—more at clip verb , spread verb
■ verb
FLY
1.
[+ adv. / prep. ] ( literary ) to fly somewhere :
[ vn ]
A solitary seagull winged its way across the bay.
[also v ]
GO QUICKLY
2.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to be sent somewhere very quickly :
An application form will be winging its way to you soon.
•
IDIOMS
- wing it
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (originally in the plural): from Old Norse vængir , plural of vængr .