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• wind
  wind

  noun

  air in natural motion, as that moving horizontally at any velocity along the earth's surface.
• WInd
  WInd

  West Indian.

wind

¹ American  

[wind, wahynd, wind] / wɪnd, waɪnd, wɪnd /

noun

1. air in natural motion, as that moving horizontally at any velocity along the earth's surface.

   A gentle wind blew through the valley. High winds were forecast.

2. a gale; storm; hurricane.

3. any stream of air, as that produced by a bellows or fan.

4. air that is blown or forced to produce a musical sound in singing or playing an instrument.

5. wind instrument.

6. wind instruments collectively.

7. the winds, the members of an orchestra or band who play the wind instruments.

8. breath or breathing.

   to catch one's wind.

9. the power of breathing freely, as during continued exertion.

10. any influential force or trend.

    strong winds of public opinion.

11. a hint or intimation.

    to catch wind of a stock split.

12. air carrying an animal's odor or scent.

13. solar wind.

14. empty talk; mere words.

15. vanity; conceitedness.

16. gas generated in the stomach and intestines.

    Synonyms:

    flatulence

17. Boxing Slang. the pit of the stomach where a blow may cause a temporary shortness of breath; solar plexus.

18. any direction of the compass.

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verb (used with object)

1. to expose to wind or air.

2. to follow by the scent.

3. to make short of wind or breath, as by vigorous exercise.

4. to let recover breath, as by resting after exertion.

verb (used without object)

1. to catch the scent or odor of game.

idioms

1. break wind, to expel gas from the stomach and bowels through the anus.

2. between wind and water,

   1. (of a ship) at or near the water line.

   2. in a vulnerable or precarious spot.

      In her profession one is always between wind and water.

3. take the wind out of one's sails, to surprise someone, especially with unpleasant news; stun; shock; flabbergast.

   She took the wind out of his sails when she announced she was marrying someone else.

4. how the wind blows / lies, what the tendency or probability is: Also which way the wind blows

   Try to find out how the wind blows.

5. on the wind, as close as possible to the wind. Also on a wind

6. in the teeth of the wind, sailing directly into the wind; against the wind. Also in the eye of the wind, in the wind's eye

7. sail close to the wind,

   1. Also sail close on a wind to sail as nearly as possible in the direction from which the wind is blowing.

   2. to practice economy in the management of one's affairs.

   3. to verge on a breach of propriety or decency.

   4. to escape (punishment, detection, etc.) by a narrow margin; take a risk.

8. in the wind, about to occur; imminent; impending.

   There's good news in the wind.

9. off the wind,

   1. away from the wind; with the wind at one's back.

   2. (of a sailing vessel) headed into the wind with sails shaking or aback.

10. throw / cast something to the wind(s), to dispense with or relinquish something characteristic of one’s habits or behavior in favor of something uncharacteristic, regardless of the possible consequences.

    I decided to throw caution to the wind and quit my job to become a full-time writer.

wind ² American  

[wahynd] / waɪnd /

verb (used without object)

wound, winded, winding

1. to change direction; bend; turn; take a frequently bending course; meander.

   The river winds through the forest.

2. to have a circular or spiral course or direction.

3. to coil or twine about something.

   The ivy winds around the house.

4. to proceed circuitously or indirectly.

5. to undergo winding or winding up.

6. to be twisted or warped, as a board.

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verb (used with object)

wound, winded, winding

1. to encircle or wreathe, as with something twined, wrapped, or placed about.

2. to roll or coil (thread, string, etc.) into a ball, on a spool, or the like (often followed byup ).

3. to remove or take off by unwinding (usually followed by off orfrom ).

   She wound the thread off the bobbin.

4. to twine, fold, wrap, or place about something.

5. to make (a mechanism) operational by tightening the mainspring with a key (often followed byup ).

   to wind a clock; to wind up a toy.

6. to haul or hoist by means of a winch, windlass, or the like (often followed byup ).

7. to make (one's or its way) in a bending or curving course.

   The stream winds its way through the woods.

8. to make (one's or its way) by indirect, stealthy, or devious procedure.

   to wind one's way into another's confidence.

noun

1. the act of winding.

2. a single turn, twist, or bend of something wound.

   If you give it another wind, you'll break the mainspring.

3. a twist producing an uneven surface.

verb phrase

1. wind up

   1. to bring to a state of great tension; excite (usually used in the past participle).

      He was all wound up before the game.

   2. to bring or come to an end; conclude.

      to wind up a sales campaign.

   3. to settle or arrange in order to conclude.

      to wind up one's affairs.

   4. to become ultimately.

      to wind up as a country schoolteacher.

   5. Baseball. (of a pitcher) to execute a windup.

2. wind down

   1. to lessen in intensity so as to bring or come to a gradual end.

      The war is winding down.

   2. to calm down; relax.

      He's too excited tonight to wind down and sleep.

idioms

1. out of wind, (of boards, plasterwork, etc.) flat and true.

wind ³ American  

[wahynd, wind] / waɪnd, wɪnd /

verb (used with object)

winded, wound, winding

1. to blow (a horn, a blast, etc.).

2. to sound by blowing.

3. to signal or direct by blasts of the horn or the like.

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WInd ⁴ American  

Or W.Ind.

1. West Indian.

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wind ¹ British  

/ wɪnd /

noun

1. a current of air, sometimes of considerable force, moving generally horizontally from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure See also Beaufort scale

2. poetic the direction from which a wind blows, usually a cardinal point of the compass

3. air artificially moved, as by a fan, pump, etc

4. any sweeping and destructive force

5. a trend, tendency, or force

   the winds of revolution

6. informal a hint; suggestion

   we got wind that you were coming

7. something deemed insubstantial

   his talk was all wind

8. breath, as used in respiration or talk

   you're just wasting wind

9. (often used in sports) the power to breathe normally See also second wind

   his wind is weak

10. music

    1. a wind instrument or wind instruments considered collectively

    2. (often plural) the musicians who play wind instruments in an orchestra

    3. (modifier) of, relating to, or composed of wind instruments

       a wind ensemble

11. an informal name for flatus

12. the air on which the scent of an animal is carried to hounds or on which the scent of a hunter is carried to his quarry

13. 1. the part of a vessel's hull below the water line that is exposed by rolling or by wave action

    2. any point particularly susceptible to attack or injury

14. to release intestinal gas through the anus

15. informal to become frightened

16. to be in the act of following (quarry) by scent

17. what appears probable

18. about to happen

19. informal intoxicated; drunk

20. directly into the wind

21. against the wind or upwind

22. nautical away from the direction from which the wind is blowing

23. nautical as near as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing

24. informal to frighten or alarm

25. informal to obtain the necessary funds

26. 1. to come near the limits of danger or indecency

    2. to live frugally or manage one's affairs economically

27. to destroy someone's advantage; disconcert or deflate

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verb

1. to cause (someone) to be short of breath

   the blow winded him

2. 1. to detect the scent of

   2. to pursue (quarry) by following its scent

3. to cause (a baby) to bring up wind after feeding by patting or rubbing on the back

4. to expose to air, as in drying, ventilating, etc

wind ² British  

/ waɪnd /

verb

1. to turn or coil (string, cotton, etc) around some object or point or (of string, etc) to be turned etc, around some object or point

   he wound a scarf around his head

2. (tr) to twine, cover, or wreathe by or as if by coiling, wrapping, etc; encircle

   we wound the body in a shroud

3. to tighten the spring of (a clockwork mechanism)

4. to remove by uncoiling or unwinding

5. (usually intr) to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course

   the river winds through the hills

6. (tr) to introduce indirectly or deviously

   he is winding his own opinions into the report

7. (tr) to cause to twist or revolve

   he wound the handle

8. (tr; usually foll by up or down) to move by cranking

   please wind up the window

9. (tr) to haul, lift, or hoist (a weight, etc) by means of a wind or windlass

10. (intr) (of a board, etc) to be warped or twisted

11. archaic (intr) to proceed deviously or indirectly

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noun

1. the act of winding or state of being wound

2. a single turn, bend, etc

   a wind in the river

3. Also called: winding. a twist in a board or plank

wind ³ British  

/ waɪnd /

verb

1. poetic (tr) to blow (a note or signal) on (a horn, bugle, etc)

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wind Scientific  

/ wĭnd /

1. A current of air, especially a natural one that moves along or parallel to the ground, moving from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Surface wind is measured by anemometers or its effect on objects, such as trees. The large-scale pattern of winds on Earth is governed primarily by differences in the net solar radiation received at the Earth's surface, but it is also influenced by the Earth's rotation, by the distribution of continents and oceans, by ocean currents, and by topography. On a local scale, the differences in rate of heating and cooling of land versus bodies of water greatly affect wind formation. Prevailing global winds are classified into three major belts in the Northern Hemisphere and three corresponding belts in the Southern Hemisphere. The trade winds blow generally east to west toward a low-pressure zone at the equator throughout the region from 30° north to 30° south of the equator. The westerlies blow from west to east in the temperate mid-latitude regions (from 30° to 60° north and south of the equator), and the polar easterlies blow from east to west out of high-pressure areas in the polar regions.

2. See also Beaufort scale chinook foehn monsoon Santa Ana

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wind More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing wind

• before the wind
• break wind
• get wind of
• gone with the wind
• ill wind
• in the wind
• like greased lightning (the wind)
• sail close to the wind
• second wind
• something in the wind
• straw in the wind
• take the wind out of one's sails
• three sheets to the wind
• throw caution to the winds
• twist in the wind
• way the wind blows

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Synonym Usage

Wind, air, zephyr, breeze, blast, gust refer to a quantity of air set in motion naturally. Wind applies to any such air in motion, blowing with whatever degree of gentleness or violence. Air, usually poetical, applies to a very gentle motion of the air. Zephyr, also poetical, refers to an air characterized by its soft, mild quality. A breeze is usually a cool, light wind. Blast and gust apply to quick, forceful winds of short duration; blast implies a violent rush of air, often a cold one, whereas a gust is little more than a flurry.

Other Word Forms

• windlessness
  noun
• windable
  adjective
• windless
  adjective
• windlessly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of wind¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun), Old English; cognate with Dutch, German Wind, Old Norse vindr, Gothic winds, Latin ventus

Origin of wind²

First recorded before 900; Middle English winden, Old English windan; cognate with Dutch, German winden, Old Norse vinda, Gothic -windan; akin to wend, wander

Origin of wind³

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; special use of wind ¹

Explanation

When wind rhymes with "grinned," it refers to moving air, as in a breeze, or what fills the sails of a boat. When wind rhymes with "kind," it means to turn, as in winding one's watch. There are all kinds of ways to wind: You can wind a ball of yarn, wind up to take a swing, or wind your way home. There are all types of wind, too, from a light breeze (top wind speed of 7 mph) to a hurricane-force wind (wind speed greater than 73 mph). A wind instrument is one where the music is made by blowing into or over a mouthpiece.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wind winded winding wound

Drifting with the wind, we hurried to get our lines in the water without hooking each other.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

It dumped 5.62 inches of rain on L.A. over three days, spawned wind gusts of up to 65 mph and resulted in 45 deaths from flooding, with an additional 48 deaths at sea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

El Nino causes strong vertical wind shear, dry air and sinking air over the Atlantic Ocean, hampering storm formation and intensification in the area.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

The company says White Fox is "taking advantage" of Adidas's reputation, "drawing an association in the minds of consumers" of the two brands, or at least "sailing close to the wind".

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

“Ohhh, leave me be,” it moaned, gravely, like wind weeping in treetops.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

And surveying it too are Downing Street and the Treasury, who are bruised and winded after another one of those days.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Crowds winded through greenways and walking trails, processing through thin paths in single-file lines and dodging annoyed runners and whizzing bikers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

Why does a brief jog leave some people winded while others seem to glide along with ease?

From Science Daily ● Jan. 8, 2026

Four hours later, sunburned and more winded than I like to admit, I reached a hamlet where I later hitched a ride back to the city.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2025

Mal stood with her back against a wall, winded, trying to catch her breath, staring down at the first boy.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Follow the narrow, winding streets in search of handmade leather goods, silver jewelry, spices and herbs, olive oil and products made from Bodrum tangerines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

"One way to picture it is that the current "twists" the phase of the coherent quantum state of the superconductor, rather like winding a spring," explains Eryin Wang, lead author of the study.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Around town, lined with winding streets and tan-colored stone cottages, locals speak highly of the American servicemen and women, even if their commander in chief gets negative reviews from some.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

In April, Quixote announced it was winding down most of its Los Angeles soundstage business, including its main commercial studio in West Hollywood and its North Valley studio in Pacoima.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Now with a child on each knee and ten more crowded close, he drew from another pocket his heavy cross-shaped winding key, each of the four ends shaped for a different size clock.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Advanced biomaterials and smart dressings could offer another option by delivering immune-modifying substances directly to the wound.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

Approaches that influence macrophage polarization are especially promising, with several drugs showing an ability to encourage M2 states and speed wound closure.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

Reebok wound up urging retailers to black out the name on boxes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

JLR wound down production of its old Jaguar models in 2024 and 2025.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Now it took more than an hour just to stroll the short, level trail that wound along the riverbank from their campsite to the lake.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

Related Words

• curl
• curve
• loop
• meander
• ramble
• slither
• snake
• spiral
• twist
• weave
• wrap
• zigzag