I. ˈwiŋ noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English winge, wenge, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Swedish vinge wing, Old Norse vængr; akin to Old English wāwan to blow, Old High German wāhen, wāen, Old Swedish vīa, Gothic waian to blow, Sanskrit vāti it blows — more at wind
1.
a. : an organ of aerial flight : one of the movable feathered or membranous paired appendages by means of which an animal (as a bird, bat, or insect) is able to fly ; also : such an appendage even though rudimentary if possessed by an animal belonging to a group characterized by the power of flight — see bat , bird III 2a, pterodactyl
b. : any of various organic structures (as of the flying fish, flying frog, or flying lemur) providing means of limited flight
c. : one of the broad thin anterior lobes of the foot of a pteropod
d. : the shoulder of a hare or rabbit
2. : an appendage or part likened to a wing in shape, appearance, or position: as
a. : a device (as for swimming) attached to the shoulders
b. : a shoulder ornament or knot ; especially : a projecting piece attached at the shoulder edge of a 17th century gown or doublet
c.
(1) : a vane of an arrow
(2) : the part of a footing forming a side of the splice on an arrow
d. : ala
the wing of the nose
especially : any of the four winglike processes of the sphenoid
e. : a curving lock of hair
has two wings of pure white in her black hair — Frances Crane
f. : the arc-shaped piece on a pair of wing compasses or dividers that permits the legs to be fixed at a desired angle
g. : the outside corner of the share of a moldboard plow
h. : a turned-back or extended edge on an article of clothing — see wing collar
i. : a sidepiece at the top of an armchair
j. : a projecting part on one side of a fishnet or at the entry of a trap or corral
k. : either of the parts of a double door or screen
l.
(1) : a foliaceous, membranous, or woody expansion on a plant (as along the sides of various stems and petioles, of samaras, or of some capsules)
(2) : either of the two lateral petals of a papilionaceous flower
m. : wing rail
n. Britain : a curved fender for a vehicle ; also : a projecting sidepiece of a dashboard or carriage top
o. : either or any of two or more projections serving as guides (as on a check valve) or as stops (as on a gudgeon) to prevent turning in the socket
3.
a. : one of the vanes of a windmill
b. : one of the floats of a waterwheel
c. : sail
d. : one of the airfoils that develop a major part of the lift which supports a heavier-than-air airplane
4.
a. : a means of flight or rapid progress
fear lent wings to inspiration — Time
b. : the special attribute of a divine messenger
know that wings have brushed us
or an angelic nature
seems almost to have sprouted wings lately
5.
a. : the act or manner of flying : flight
dog required to … exhibit steadiness to wing and shot — W.F.Brown b.1903
crow makes wing to the rooky wood — Shakespeare
b. : strength of flight : ability to fly
6.
a. : arm ; especially : a throwing or pitching arm
b. : throwing ability
7.
a. : the part of the hold or orlop deck of a ship that is nearest the sides
b. : the outboard ends of a ship's bridge
c. : a platform or an overhanging portion of the deck of a ship projecting forward and abaft the paddle box of a side-wheel steamer and supporting the box and protecting the wheel
d. : an addition at the end of a dam but not necessarily in line with it : wing wall
e. : wing jam
8. : a side or outlying region or district
no stone in the whole of that wing of Pakistan suitable for … road metalling — D.G.Bridson
9. : a part or feature of a building projecting from and subordinate to the main or central part ; broadly : any section of a building
surgical wing of a hospital
10.
a. : one of the pieces of scenery at the side of the stage
b. wings plural : the area at the side of the stage out of sight
performers waiting in the wings for their cues
11.
a. : a division of an army or fleet on either side of a main central body
b. : either member of a body of troops that is divided into two parts
c. : either side or outer extremity of a chess board
d. : one of the positions or players on either side of a center position or of the central lengthwise line of the field, court, or rink in a team sport ; especially : such a position or player on the forward line of a team
12.
a. : either of two opposing groups within an organization or society : faction
b. : a section of an organized body (as a political party or legislative chamber) representing a group or faction holding distinct opinions or policies — compare left wing , right wing
13. : a unit of military airplanes:
a. : a unit of an echelon of the United States Air Force higher than a group and lower than an air division composed of a headquarters and usually four groups
b. : two or more squadrons of naval airplanes not carrier based
heavy attack wing
patrol wing
14. : a tap dance step characterized by a sideward slide and retrieve of one foot ; also : a waltz step similarly executed
•
- on the wing
- on wings
- take wing
- under one's wing
[s]wing.jpg[/s] [
wing 1a: 1 coverts, 2 primaries, 3 secondaries
]
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. obsolete
a. : to carve (a bird) for serving
b. : to pluck the wings from (as an insect)
2.
a. : to fit with wings
sailcloth that winged the clipper ships — Women's Wear Daily
b. : to attach feathers to (an arrow) : fletch
he himself who had winged the arrow of his fate — C.S.Forester
3. : to enable to fly or move swiftly : give speed to
fear winged his feet
4. archaic : to supply with pieces or divisions at the side : flank
5.
a. : to wound in the wing : disable the wing of
wing a flying duck
: bring down by shooting
b. : to hit or wound (as with a bullet) without killing
winged by a sniper
6. : to pass through in flight : traverse with or as if with wings
the blue deep thou wingest — P.B.Shelley
7. : to effect or achieve by flying
winging our way out to India — Dillon Sipley
8. : to send off swiftly : let fly : dispatch
would start to wing punches — A.J.Liebling
9. : to shift (weights) in a ship to near the sides in order to lengthen the period of roll — used usually with out
wing out ballast
10. : to set (a sail) to catch a following wind — used with out
jibs are winged out by means of a whisker pole — G.W.Elder & Ernest Ratsey
11. dialect : to brush or sweep with or as if with a wing
intransitive verb
1. : to go with or as if with wings : fly , sail
swallows winging southward
watch the racing fleets wing up to the start — E.A.Weeks
2. of a horse : to swing one or more of the legs out from the body
III. transitive verb
: to do or perform without preparation or guidelines : improvise — usually used in the phrase wing it