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

Explanation

In baseball, the arm and body movements a pitcher makes just before throwing the ball are collectively called the windup. Sports announcers repeat this phrase throughout baseball games: "Here's the windup...and the pitch!" You can also use windup to mean "conclusion." At the windup of a lengthy meeting, everyone will collect their papers and laptops, and several people will yawn and stretch. The windup of a political campaign might include one last speech and a full-page ad in a newspaper, just before the election. This is the oldest meaning of windup, dating from the 16th century. As an adjective, windup can mean "operated by a mechanism," like a windup toy.

Example Sentences

On Wednesday he was an automaton, almost like a windup toy.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2025

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 • Nov. 25, 2025

James plays both Hal and Bill, twin brothers whose family is cursed by the presence of a murderous windup monkey their father brings back from a trip.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2025

They wanted to see if there was an underlying injury causing the problem or a biomechanical inefficiency in his windup or release point.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 21, 2024

My arms acted like windup toys gone bananas.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper