before the wind

Idioms  

1. Driven ahead, hurried, as in The bikers are moving before the wind, so it's hard to tell who will come in first. The literal meaning of this term is nautical, referring to a ship sailing in the same direction as the wind and being propelled forward. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1800s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

before the wind

On July 10, the day before the wind changed, the fire had been burning sleepily for a week without any apparent cause for alarm.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2025

Open qualifying, posted his 68 in the morning before the wind and the temperatures picked up.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

He followed with a 64 on Friday before the wind arrived, and he handled the wind beautifully Saturday with another 64 that left him five shots behind.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 9, 2021

McNeil, wearing shades and still reorienting himself to the position after playing second and third last season, backpedaled before the wind blew the ball over his right shoulder.

From New York Times ● Apr. 14, 2019

The window creaked as I eased it up, and the smell of horses and other farm odors hit me, right before the wind issued a warning.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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