wind

1 /wInd/ noun

1 AIR (C, U) moving air, especially when it moves strongly or quickly in a current: a 70-mile-an-hour wind | branches swaying in the wind | the wind blows: A gentle wind was blowing through the trees. | strong/high winds: The forecast is for strong winds and heavy rain. | a gust of wind (=a short strong wind): A sudden gust of wind blew the door shut. | east/west/north/south wind (=coming from the east etc) | a gentle/soft/light wind: A soft wind teased a tendril of her hair. | a bitter/chill/biting wind (=a very cold wind) | the wind is up/gets up (=blows more strongly) | the wind drops (=blows less strongly): We'll wait till the wind drops before we put the tent up.

—see also: headwind

2 get/have wind of informal to hear or find out about something secret or private, especially if you learn it accidentally or unofficially: Jeremy, I don't want that reporter getting wind of this.

3 BREATH (U) your ability to breathe without difficulty: get your wind (back) (=be able to breathe normally again, for example after running) | knock the wind out of (=hit someone in the stomach so that they cannot breathe for a moment)

—see also: second wind, windpipe

4 take the wind out of sb's sails informal to make someone lose their confidence, especially by saying or doing something unexpected

5 see which way the wind is blowing to find out what the situation is before you do something or make a decision

6 be in the wind used to say that something is happening or going to happen, but not many people know what it is

7 the winds of change/freedom/public opinion etc events and changes that have started to happen and will have important effects, and that cannot be stopped

8 get the wind up/put the wind up sb BrE informal to become anxious or frightened, or to make someone feel this way: The threat of legal action will be enough to put the wind up them.

9 IN YOUR STOMACH (U) BrE the condition of having air or gas in your stomach, or the air or gas itself; gas AmE: I can't drink beer, it gives me wind.

10 the winds/the wind section all the musicians who play wind instruments in a band

11 TALK (U) informal useless talk that does not mean anything

—see also: windy, break wind break 1 (42), an ill wind (that blows no good) ill 1 (5), sail close to the wind sail 1 (6), straw in the wind straw (4) 2 verb past tense and past participle wound,

1 (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive always + adv/prep) to turn or twist something repeatedly, especially around something else: wind sth around/round: Wind the wires around those pins there. | wind sth forward/back: Can you wind the video back a little way - I want to see that bit again.

(+ around/round): Make sure the thread winds evenly around the bobbin. —see also: rewind

2 also wind up (T) to turn something such as a handle or part of a machine around and around, especially in order to make something move or start working: What time is it? I forgot to wind my watch. | It was one of those old gramophones that you have to wind up. | wind sth down/up BrE: Would you mind winding down the window?

3 (intransitive always + adv/prep) if a road, track, river etc winds, it has many smooth bends and is usually very long: wind (its way) through/along: Highway 99 winds its way along the coast.

—see also: winding wind down phrasal verb

1 (transitive wind something down) to gradually reduce the work of a business or organization so that it can be closed down completely

2 (I) to rest and relax after a lot of hard work or excitement: I find it difficult to wind down after a day at work.

wind up phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive wind something up) bring an activity, meeting etc to an end: OK, just to wind up, could I summarize what we've decided? | It's time to wind things up - I have a plane to catch.

2 (transitive wind something up) to close down a company or organization: Our operations in Jamaica are being wound up.

3 (intransitive, linking verb) informal to unintentionally get into an unpleasant situation or place as a result of something you have done

(+ with/in/at etc): You know you're going to wind up in court over this. | wind up doing: I wound up wishing I'd never come. | wind up drunk/dead/ill etc: You keep driving like that and you'll wind up dead.

4 (transitive wind someone up) BrE to deliberately say or do something in order to annoy someone, especially because you enjoy annoying them: Stupid! They're only winding you up.

—see also: wound up 3 noun (C) a bend or turn: give sth a wind: Give that crank another wind, will you? 4 verb (T) to make someone have difficulty in breathing: be winded: “Is he OK?” “Yeah, I think he's just winded.”