windup

American  

[wahynd-uhp] / ˈwaɪndˌʌp /

Or wind-up

noun

1. the conclusion of any action, activity, etc.; the end or close.

2. a final act or part.

3. Baseball.  the preparatory movements of the arm before pitching a ball.

4. Informal.  a mechanical object, as a toy or wristwatch, that is driven by a spring or similar mechanism that must be wound.

5. an act or instance of winding up.

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Etymology

Origin of windup

First recorded in 1565–75; noun use of verb phrase wind up

Example Sentences

Early designs included fake vomit and a plastic robot called Mr. Machine, a windup robot that was transparent, allowing children to see how the gears worked.

From The Wall Street Journal

Batters have seven seconds between pitches to get ready to hit, then the pitcher has eight seconds, if he wants them all, to start his windup.

From Washington Post

The Washington Nationals right-hander began his delivery with his glove at his belt, started his windup, kicked his leg and delivered toward catcher Israel Pineda about 25 times.

From Washington Post

From his rookie year magazine cover on my wall, to the reference in Bull Durham — and mimicking his windup in the backyard — Valenzuela inspired young fans and reminded us of the joy of the game.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead of just pushing a shot at the net right away, O’Connor took a big windup and completely missed the puck as he tried to slap it home.

From Seattle Times