wind

To wind is to take a path that is not straight.

(verb)

An example of wind is a twisty path through the woods.

Wind is a breeze or the movement of air.

(noun)

An example of wind is the way the air moves and makes the tree branches rustle.

Wind can also mean to wrap something around or to turn a handle of a clock so that the clock will work properly.

(verb)

  1. An example of wind is to wrap lights around a tree.
  2. An example of wind is when you turn the key on a grandfather clock.

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

See wind in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb wound or Rarewinded, winding

    1. to turn, or make revolve: to wind a crank
    2. to move by or as if by cranking
    1. to turn or coil (string, ribbon, etc.) around itself to form a ball or around something else so as to encircle it closely; twine; wreathe: winding the bandage on his finger
    2. to wrap or cover by encircling with something turned in the manner of a coil; entwine: to wind a spool with thread
    1. to make (one's way) in a winding or twisting course
    2. to cause to move in a winding or twisting course
  1. to introduce deviously; insinuate: winding his prejudices through all his writings
  2. to hoist or haul by or as by winding rope on a winch: often with up
  3. to tighten the operating spring of (a clock, mechanical toy, etc.) by turning a stem or the like: often with up

Origin: ME winden < OE windan, akin to ON vinda, Ger winden < IE base *wendh-, to turn, wind, twist > Arm gind, a ring

intransitive verb

  1. to move, go, or extend in a curving, zigzagging, or sinuous manner; meander
  2. to double on one's track, so as to throw off pursuers
  3. to take a circuitous, devious, or subtle course in behavior, argument, etc.
  4. to insinuate oneself
  5. to coil, twine, or spiral (about or around something)
  6. to warp or twist: said of wood
  7. to undergo winding: a watch that winds easily

noun

  1. the act of winding
  2. a single turn of something wound
  3. a turn; twist; bend

noun

  1. air in motion; specif.,
    1. any noticeable natural movement of air parallel to the earth's surface
    2. air artificially put in motion, as by an air pump or fan
  2. a strong, fast-moving, or destructive natural current of air; gale or storm
  3. the direction from which a wind blows: now chiefly in the four winds, with reference to the cardinal points of the compass
  4. a natural current of air regarded as a bearer of odors or scents, as in hunting: to lose (the) wind of the fox
  5. figuratively, air regarded as bearing information, indicating trends, etc.: a rumor that's in the wind
  6. breath or the power of breathing: to get the wind knocked out of one
    1. idle or empty talk; nonsense
    2. bragging; pomposity; conceit
  7. gas in the stomach or intestines; flatulence
    1. the wind instruments of an orchestra, or the players of these instruments
    2. any of such instruments

Origin: ME < OE, akin to ON vindr, Ger wind < IE *wentos (> L ventus) < base *we-, *awe-, to blow > weather

transitive verb

  1. to expose to the wind or air, as for drying; air
  2. to get or follow the scent of; scent
  3. to cause to be out of breath: to be winded by a long run
  4. to rest (a horse, etc.) so as to allow recovery of breath

adjective

  1. designating a musical instrument sounded by blowing air through it, esp. a portable one sounded with the breath, as a flute, oboe, tuba, or trumpet
  2. composed of or for wind or woodwind instruments

transitive verb, intransitive verb wound or Rarewinded, winding

  1. to blow (a horn, etc.)
  2. to sound (a signal, etc.), as on a horn

Origin: Early ModE < wind

river in WC Wyo., flowing southeast into the Bighorn: c. 110 mi (177 km)

Origin: from the severe winds near its head

See wind in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. a. Moving air, especially a natural and perceptible movement of air parallel to or along the ground.
    b. A movement of air generated artificially, as by bellows or a fan.
  2. a. The direction from which a movement of air comes: The wind is north-northwest.
    b. A movement of air coming from one of the four cardinal points of the compass: the four winds.
  3. Moving air carrying sound, an odor, or a scent.
  4. a. Breath, especially normal or adequate breathing; respiration: had the wind knocked out of them.
    b. Gas produced in the stomach or intestines during digestion; flatulence.
  5. Music
    a. The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or orchestra. Often used in the plural.
    b. Wind instruments or their players considered as a group. Often used in the plural.
    c. Woodwinds. Often used in the plural.
  6. a. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war.
    b. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change.
  7. Information, especially of something concealed; intimation: Trouble will ensue if wind of this scandal gets out.
  8. a. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage: His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
    b. Vain self-importance; pomposity: an expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
transitive verb wind·ed, wind·ing, winds
  1. To expose to free movement of air; ventilate or dry.
  2. a. To detect the smell of; catch a scent of.
    b. To pursue by following a scent.
  3. To cause to be out of or short of breath.
  4. To afford a recovery of breath: stopped to wind and water the horses.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English; see wē- in Indo-European roots

.

verb wound wound (wound), wind·ing, winds
verb, transitive
  1. To wrap (something) around a center or another object once or repeatedly: wind string around a spool.
  2. To wrap or encircle (an object) in a series of coils; entwine: wound her injured leg with a bandage; wound the waist of the gown with lace and ribbons.
  3. a. To go along (a curving or twisting course): wind a path through the mountains.
    b. To proceed on (one's way) with a curving or twisting course.
  4. To introduce in a disguised or devious manner; insinuate: He wound a plea for money into his letter.
  5. To turn (a crank, for example) in a series of circular motions.
  6. a. To coil the spring of (a mechanism) by turning a stem or cord, for example: wind a watch.
    b. To coil (thread, for example), as onto a spool or into a ball.
    c. To remove or unwind (thread, for example), as from a spool: wound the line off the reel.
  7. To lift or haul by means of a windlass or winch: Wind the pail to the top of the well.
verb, intransitive
  1. To move in or have a curving or twisting course: a river winding through a valley.
  2. a. To move in or have a spiral or circular course: a column of smoke winding into the sky.
    b. To be coiled or spiraled: The vine wound about the trellis.
  3. To be twisted or whorled into curved forms.
  4. To proceed misleadingly or insidiously in discourse or conduct.
  5. To become wound: a clock that winds with difficulty.
noun
  1. The act of winding.
  2. A single turn, twist, or curve.
Phrasal Verbs: wind down Informal To diminish gradually in energy, intensity, or scope: The party wound down as guests began to leave. To relax; unwind. wind up To come or bring to a finish; end: when the meeting wound up; wind up a project. To put in order; settle: wound up her affairs before leaving the country. Informal To arrive in a place or situation after or because of a course of action: took a long walk and wound up at the edge of town; overspent and wound up in debt. Baseball To swing back the arm and raise the foot in preparation for pitching the ball.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English winden

Origin: , from Old English windan

.

transitive verb wind·ed (wīnˈdĭd, wĭnˈ-) or wound (wound), wind·ing, winds
Music
  1. To blow (a wind instrument).
  2. To sound by blowing.

Origin:

Origin: From wind1

.

Related Forms:

  • windˈer noun

See wind in Ologies

Wind

See also atmosphere; weather

ancraophobia

an abnormal fear of wind.

anemography

Rare. the recording of the measurement of wind speed by an anemometer. —anemographic, adj.

anemology

the science of the winds. —anemological, adj.

anemometer

an instrument for indicating wind velocity.

anemometry

the measurement of wind speed and direction, often by an anemometrograph. —anemometric, anemometrical, adj.

anemophilia

wind-loving, said of plants that are fertilized only through the action of winds. —anemophile, n.anemophilous, adj.

anemophobia

an abnormal fear of drafts or winds. —anemophobe, n.

anemoscope

an instrument for recording the direction of the wind.

bise

a cold, dry wind that blows from the north or northeast in south central Europe.

breeze

a light wind, 4 to 27 knots on the Beaufort scale.

cyclone

an atmospheric disturbance characterized by powerful winds spinning in the shape of a vertical cylinder or horizontal disk, accompanied by low pressure at the center. —cyclonic, adj.

cyclonology

the study of cyclones. —cyclonologist, n.

foehn, föhn

a warm, dry wind that blows down the side of a mountain, as on the north side of the Alps.

gale

a strong wind, 28 to 55 knots on the Beaufort scale.

haboob

a heavy dust- or sandstorm of N. Africa, Arabia, and India.

hurricane

a extremely strong wind, usually accompanied by foul weather, more than 65 knots on the Beaufort scale.

levanter

a strong east wind in the Mediterranean region.

mistral

a cold, dry wind that blows from the north in the south of France and vicinity.

Santa Ana

a hot, dry, dust-bearing wind that blows from inland desert regions in southern California.

sirocco

1. a hot, dry, dust-laden wind that blows on the northern Mediterranean coast from Africa.

2. a sultry southeast wind in the same regions.

3. a hot, oppressive wind of cyclonic origin, as in Kansas.

tornado

a highly localized, violent windstorm occurring over land, usually in the U.S. Midwest, characterized by a vertical, funnel-shaped cloud.

twister

whirlwind.

typhoon

a cyclone or hurricane in the western Pacific Ocean.

whirlwind

any wind that has a spinning motion and is conflned to a small area in the shape of a vertical cylinder.

Learn more about wind

Related Articles

wind

link/cite print suggestion box