[wind] n, often attrib [ME, fr. OE; akin to OHG wint wind, L ventus, Gk aenai to blow, Skt vati it blows] (bef. 12c) 1 a: a natural movement of air of any velocity; esp: 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 ~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
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 esp. about something secret: intimation "got ~ of the plan"
8. a: musical wind instruments esp. as distinguished from strings and percussion b pl: players of wind instruments
9. a: a direction from which the wind may blow: a point of the compass; esp: one of the cardinal points b: the direction from which the wind is blowing -- wind.less adj -- wind.less.ly adv -- 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
[2]wind vt (15c) 1: to detect or follow by scent
2: to expose to the air or wind: dry by exposing to air
3: to make short of breath
4: to regulate the wind supply of (an organ pipe)
5: to rest (as a horse) in order to allow the breath to be recovered ~ vi 1: to scent game
2. dial: to pause for breath [3]wind vb wind.ed or wound ; wind.ing [[1]wind] vt (1586) 1: to cause (as a horn) to sound by blowing: blow
2: to sound (as a call or note) on a horn "wound a rousing call --R. L. Stevenson" ~ vi: to produce a sound on a horn [4]wind vb wound also wind.ed ; wind.ing [ME, fr. OE windan to twist, move with speed or force, brandish; akin to OHG wintan to wind, Umbrian ohavendu let him turn aside] vt (bef. 12c) 1 a obs: weave b: entangle, involve c: to introduce sinuously or stealthily: insinuate
2. a: to encircle or cover with something pliable: bind with loops or layers b: to turn completely or repeatedly about an object: coil, twine c (1): to hoist or haul by means of a rope or chain and a windlass (2): to move (a ship) by hauling on a capstan d (1): to tighten the spring of "~ a clock" (2) obs: to make tighter: tighten, tune (3): crank e: to raise to a high level (as of excitement or tension)--usu. used with up 3 a: to cause to move in a curving line or path b archaic: to turn the course of; esp: to lead (a person) as one wishes c (1): to cause (as a ship) to change direction: turn (2): to turn (a ship) end for end d: to traverse on a curving course "the river ~s the valley" e: to effect by or as if by curving ~ vi 1: bend, warp
2. a: to have a curving course or shape: extend in curves b: to proceed as if by winding
3: to move so as to encircle something
4: to turn when lying at anchor [5]wind n (14c) 1: a mechanism (as a winch) for winding
2: an act of winding: the state of being wound
3: coil, turn
4: a particular method of winding