Synonyms

get wind of

Idioms

Learn of; hear a rumor about. For example, “If my old aunt gets wind of it, she'll cut me off with a shilling” (William Makepeace Thackeray, in Paris Sketch Book, 1840). This expression alludes to an animal perceiving a scent carried by the wind. [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

get wind of

Once they get wind of your required minimum distributions in your early 70s, they will come knocking again.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

It was the one point the SBU worried most that the FSB might get wind of the operation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025

Investors use them to shadow chief executives to get wind of corporate mergers.

From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2022

They quickly get wind of a vague conspiracy.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 29, 2019

At the same time he sniffed, trying to get wind of the peanut butter at the end of the maze.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023