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

“The roads were dirt and wound around as if made by somnambulistic cows.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Turner did his part, but the video wound up on the cutting-room floor.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Colburn wound up substituting Brahms Piano Trio No. 2 — no violas.

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While escaping, she and her colleagues treated the wounded secretly, often without bandages.

Read more on Barron's

The glide path is far different than 2021, when the Rams wound up winning the Super Bowl on their home field.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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