WIND

n. & v. --n. 1 a air in more or less rapid natural motion, esp. from an area of high pressure to one of low pressure. b a current of wind blowing from a specified direction or otherwise defined (north wind; contrary wind). 2 a breath as needed in physical exertion or in speech. b the power of breathing without difficulty while running or making a similar continuous effort (let me recover my wind). c a spot below the centre of the chest where a blow temporarily paralyses breathing. 3 mere empty words; meaningless rhetoric. 4 gas generated in the bowels etc. by indigestion; flatulence. 5 a an artifically produced current of air, esp. for sounding an organ or other wind instrument. b air stored for use or used as a current. c the wind instruments of an orchestra collectively (poor balance between wind and strings). 6 a scent carried by the wind, indicating the presence or proximity of an animal etc. --v.tr. 1 exhaust the wind of by exertion or a blow. 2 renew the wind of by rest (stopped to wind the horses). 3 make breathe quickly and deeply by exercise. 4 make (a baby) bring up wind after feeding. 5 detect the presence of by a scent. 6 (past and past part. winded or wound) poet. sound (a bugle or call) by blowing. øbefore the wind helped by the wind's force. between wind and water at a vulnerable point. close to (or near) the wind 1 sailing as nearly against the wind as is consistent with using its force. 2 colloq. verging on indecency or dishonesty. get wind of 1 smell out. 2 begin to suspect; hear a rumour of. get (or have) the wind up colloq. be alarmed or frightened. how (or which way) the wind blows (or lies) 1 what is the state of opinion. 2 what developments are likely. in the wind happening or about to happen. in the wind's eye directly against the wind. like the wind swiftly. off the wind Naut. with the wind on the quarter. on a wind Naut. against a wind on either bow. on the wind (of a sound or scent) carried by the wind. put the wind up colloq. alarm or frighten. take wind be rumoured; become known. take the wind out of a person's sails frustrate a person by anticipating an action or remark etc. to the winds (or four winds) 1 in all directions. 2 into a state of abandonment or neglect. wind and weather exposure to the effects of the elements. wind band a group of wind instruments as a band or section of an orchestra. wind-break a row of trees or a fence or wall etc. serving to break the force of the wind. wind-chill the cooling effect of wind blowing on a surface. wind-cone = wind-sock. wind-force the force of the wind esp. as measured on the Beaufort etc. scale. wind-gap a dried-up former river valley through ridges or hills. wind-gauge 1 an anemometer. 2 an apparatus attached to the sights of a gun enabling allowance to be made for the wind in shooting. 3 a device showing the amount of wind in an organ. wind instrument a musical instrument in which sound is produced by a current of air, esp. the breath. wind-jammer a merchant sailing-ship. wind machine a device for producing a blast of air or the sound of wind. wind (or winds) of change a force or influence for reform. wind-rose a diagram of the relative frequency of wind directions at a place. wind-row a line of raked hay, corn-sheaves, peats, etc., for drying by the wind. wind-sail a canvas funnel conveying air to the lower parts of a ship. wind shear a variation in wind velocity at right angles to the wind's direction. wind-sleeve = wind-sock. wind-sock a canvas cylinder or cone on a mast to show the direction of the wind at an airfield etc. wind-tunnel a tunnel-like device to produce an air-stream past models of aircraft etc. for the study of wind effects on them. øøwindless adj. [OE f. Gmc]