wind1
/wind/ • noun 1 the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current blowing from a particular direction. 2 breath as needed in physical exertion, speech, playing an instrument, etc. 3 Brit. air swallowed while eating or gas generated in the stomach and intestines by digestion. 4 meaningless talk. 5 (also winds) treated as sing. or pl. wind or woodwind instruments forming a band or section of an orchestra. • verb 1 cause to have difficulty breathing because of exertion or a blow to the stomach. 2 Brit. make (a baby) bring up wind after feeding by patting its back. — PHRASES get wind of informal hear a rumour of. it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good proverb few things are so bad that no one profits from them. put the wind up Brit. informal alarm or frighten. sail close to (or near) the wind 1 sail as nearly against the wind as is consistent with using its force. 2 informal verge on indecency, dishonesty, or disaster. take the wind out of someone’s sails frustrate someone by anticipating an action or remark. to the wind (s) (or the four winds) in all directions. from ‘And fear of death deliver to the winds’ (Milton’s Paradise Lost). — DERIVATIVES windless adjective. — ORIGIN Old English.
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