wound

¹

[woond, wound]

noun

1. an injury, usually involving division of tissue or rupture of the integument or mucous membrane, due to external violence or some mechanical agency rather than disease.

   Synonyms: trauma, lesion, laceration, stab, cut

2. a similar injury to the tissue of a plant.

3. an injury or hurt to feelings, sensibilities, reputation, etc.

   Synonyms: anguish, pain, insult

verb (used with object)

1. to inflict a wound upon; injure; hurt.

   Synonyms: lacerate, stab, cut, damage, harm

verb (used without object)

1. to inflict a wound.

wound

²

[wound]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of wind and wind.

wound

¹

/ wuːnd /

noun

1. any break in the skin or an organ or part as the result of violence or a surgical incision

2. an injury to plant tissue

3. any injury or slight to the feelings or reputation

verb

1. to inflict a wound or wounds upon (someone or something)

wound

²

/ waʊnd /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of wind 2

Other Word Forms

• woundedly adverb
• woundingly adverb
• wounder noun
• woundless adjective
• woundable adjective
• wounding adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wound¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English wund; cognate with Old High German wunta ( German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds; (verb) Middle English wounden, Old English wundian, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wound¹

Old English wund; related to Old Frisian wunde, Old High German wunta (German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lick one's wounds, to attempt to heal one's injuries or soothe one's hurt feelings after a defeat.

see lick one's wounds; rub in (salt into a wound).

Synonym Study

See injury.

Example Sentences

"Thousands of young men were let down by the system and are continuing to live with the wounds left by that abuse. Those victims were, and remain, our primary concern."

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Now, he said, "we are not just conveying a thematic message or explaining a law, we are healing the wounds we have endured."

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However, Thailand paused implementation of the peace deal on Monday, claiming a blast from a newly laid landmine had wounded four of its soldiers.

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The UK side of the business was wound up in 2021, but the international part, Pitch@Palace Global, remained open.

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Cesium 137 rained down more than a thousand miles away in Scotland, where it covered fields and wound up being concentrated in the flesh of livestock.

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Related Words

• bruise 
• cut 
• damage 
• grief 
• laceration 
• lesion 
• pain 
• shock 
• trauma