winding

[ wahyn-ding ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that winds.
2. a bend, turn, or flexure.
3. a coiling, folding, or wrapping, as of one thing about another.
4. something that is wound or coiled, or a single round of it.
5. Electricity.
   1. a symmetrically laid, electrically conducting current path in any device.
   2. the manner of such coiling:

      a series winding.

adjective

1. bending or turning; sinuous.
2. spiral, as stairs.

winding

/ ˈwaɪndɪŋ /

noun

1. a curving or sinuous course or movement
2. anything that has been wound or wrapped around something
3. a particular manner or style in which something has been wound
4. a curve, bend, or complete turn in wound material, a road, etc
5. often plural devious thoughts or behaviour

   the tortuous windings of political argumentation

6. one or more turns of wire forming a continuous coil through which an electric current can pass, as used in transformers, generators, etc
7. See wind
   another name for wind 2
8. a coil of tubing in certain brass instruments, esp the French horn

adjective

1. curving; sinuous

   a winding road

Derived Forms

• ˈwindingly, adverb

Other Words From

• winding·ly adverb
• winding·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of winding¹

before 1050; Middle English (noun), Old English windung (noun); wind ², -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

I saw her at the end of that night in 2018, struggling to maneuver her enormous new SUV down the winding driveway, at one point plonking it down over a two-foot dirt curb.

From MIT Technology Review

Security guards in blue uniforms lined the winding driveway leading to the entrance.

From MIT Technology Review

During the fall and winter, the natural world is waning—experiencing a gradual winding down of energy.

From Outside Online

After a long and winding season, we should be in store for a tightly contested championship that looks as close as any we’ve seen in a while.

From FiveThirtyEight

It’s a long, winding, asbestos-laden series of events that began in 2013, when the city of San Diego was scoping out downtown buildings to house its employees.

From Voice of San Diego

One of its few concessions to the luxurious standards of the neighbors is a long, winding road.

From The Daily Beast

Check out Le Marais, one of the oldest quarters of the city, where gay-friendly establishments line the winding cobbled lanes.

From The Daily Beast

You will find winding pasture for sheep and highland cattle.

From The Daily Beast

Bulbous columns, winding staircases, and whimsical bas-reliefs of mythical creatures wrap around the palace.

From The Daily Beast

But now time is winding down, and he appears more willing to take risks.

From The Daily Beast

If you use it wisely, it may be Ulysses' hauberk; if you reject it, the shirt of Nessus were a cooler winding-sheet!

From Project Gutenberg

They may be made both winding and pumping engines at the same time, if so required.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall also bring drawings with me for one or two winding engines for the same place.

From Project Gutenberg

He also ordered one or two winding engines, in addition to the pumping engines.

From Project Gutenberg

Without another word she left him, and where he stood he could hear her steps as she tripped down the winding staircase of stone.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bending
• curving
• meandering
• serpentine
• sinuous
• snaking
• tortuous
• turning
• twisting
• twisty
• windy
• zigzag