I. ˈwünd, chiefly dial ˈwau̇nd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English wunde, wound, from Old English wund; akin to Old High German wunta wound, Old Norse und
1.
a. : an injury to the body consisting of a laceration or breaking of the skin or mucous membrane usually by a hard or sharp instrument forcefully driven or applied
has a deep festering knife wound across the palm
the hollow-nosed bullet leaves a jagged wound
b.
(1) : an opening made in the skin or a membrane of the body incidental to a surgical operation or procedure
(2) : a cut or slash made on a tree or plant
a metal receptacle to catch the sap that dripped from the wound — Hamilton Basso
2.
a. : a mental or emotional hurt or blow to the pride, sensitivity, or reputation
lived … under the uneasy strain of avoiding wounds to their self-esteem — Oscar Handlin
inflicts wounds upon the human spirit which no surgery can heal — Virginia Woolf
in the hospital wards he was confronted with every type of psychiatric wound — Don Wharton
b. : a similar hurt or blow affecting a political body or a social group and usually giving rise to resentments or animosities
wish that the bitter strike would leave no deep wounds — Mary K. Hammond
reopens the party's wounds by attacking the past leadership — R.L.Strout
the perfect way to heal many of the world's worst wounds — P.M.Mazur
Synonyms:
trauma , traumatism , lesion , bruise , contusion : wound generally implies a significant injury inflicted by an outside agent (as a gun, knife, or fist) that breaks the skin and usually the tissues beneath
a gunshot wound
the wound made by the surgeon's knife
trauma designates physical injury or mental or emotional shock that leaves a lasting morbid or abnormal impression on the mind
a birth trauma
the traumata of war
discomfort, pain, and trauma to the middle ear — H.G.Armstrong
great social traumas like the French Revolution and the American Civil War — Alexander Heard
although sometimes it extends in meaning to designate the effects of a traumatic injury or a traumatism
the multiple symptoms of a traumatism — a fear of dirt or scum, a constant washing of the hands, much talk about impurity
lesion designates the effect on the tissues caused by a wound, trauma, or injury resulting from disease or degeneration, implying a pathological alteration in tissue or loss of function
tubercular lesions in the lungs
occasionally the so-called rheumatic lesions affect the joints, giving symptoms like those of growing pains — Morris Fishbein
some obscure sort of psychological lesion — Nathaniel Burt
bruise is the standard and contusion the medical term for an injury ordinarily the result of impact that results in the disorganization of subcutaneous tissues with usually no break in the skin but with black and blue discoloring
a bruise on the arm from a flying stone
a contusion on the hip from a fall on the ice
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English wunden, wounden, from Old English wundian; akin to Old High German wuntōn to wound, Old Norse undathr wounded (participle), Gothic gawundondans wounding (participle plural); all from a prehistoric Germanic verb derived from the root of Old English wund wound
transitive verb
1.
a. : to inflict a wound upon : cut , stab , pierce , lacerate
using his knife to wound and maim his opponent
flying shrapnel had wounded several others
the bullet wounded him in the shoulder
had been wounded in the battle — E.K.Alden
b. : to make a tear, breach, or opening in (something) in the manner of a wound
was sure he had mortally wounded the submarine — Walter Karig
the trees are wounded and the sap allowed to run out — G.S.Brady
the volcanic crust is wounded by the upheaval
2. : to hurt or damage as if by a wound : injure
had tried to wound him by some cheap irony, sarcasm, or just plain rudeness — Bruce Mason
the ability to wound the enemy through trade … by applications of the rule of contrabrand — F.L.Paxson
the 18th century … was so wounded by the memories of the religious wars — Herbert Agar
intransitive verb
: to inflict a wound
intending only to wound , not to kill
critical remarks often wound deeply
III.
Etymology: Middle English wounden (past plural & past participle), from Old English wundon (past plural) & gewunden (past participle)
past of wind