wind

Universal Words noun, verb-see also WIND noun 1 [C,U] (also the wind) air that moves quickly as a result of natural forces: strong / high winds * gale-force winds * a light wind * a north / south / east / west wind * a chill / cold / biting north wind * The wind is blowing from the south. * The trees were swaying in the wind. * A gust of wind blew my hat off. * The weather was hot, without a a breath of wind. * The wall gives some protection from the prevailing wind. * The wind is getting up (= starting to blow strongly). * The wind has dropped (= stopped blowing strongly). * wind speed / direction seealsoCROSSWIND, DOWNWIND, HEADWIND, TAILWIND, TRADEWIND, WINDY 2 (BrE) (AmE gas) [U] air that you swallow with food or drink; gas that is produced in your stomach or INTESTINES that makes you feel uncomfortable: I can't eat beans-they give me wind. * Try to bring the baby's wind up. 3 [U] breath that you need when you do exercise or blow into a musical instrument: I need time to get my wind back after that run. * He kicked Gomez in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. seealsoSECONDWIND 4 [U+sing./pl.v.] the group of musical instruments in an orchestra that produce sounds when you blow into them; the musicians who play those instruments: music for wind and strings * the wind section * The wind played beautifully. * a wind band compareWOODWIND IDIOMS break wind to release gas from your bowels through your ANUS get wind of sth (informal) to hear about sth secret or private: She didn't want reporters getting wind of their plans. get / have the wind up (about sth) (informal) to become/be frightened about sth in the wind about to happen soon, although you do not know exactly how or when: Once again, changes are in the wind. like the wind very quickly: We ran like the wind. put the wind up sb (BrE, informal) to make sb frightened: Tell him that the police have been informed-that'll put the wind up him. take the wind out of sb's sails (informal) to make sb suddenly less confident or angry, especially when you do or say sth that they do not expect: When I agreed to his suggestion at once, it really took the wind out of his sails. a wind / the winds of change (used especially by journalists) an event or a series of events that has started to happen and will cause important changes or results: A wind of change was blowing through the banking world. moreatCAUTIONn., FOLLOWING, ILLadj., SAILv., STRAW, WAYn. verb [VN] 1 [usuallypassive] to make sb unable to breathe easily for a short time: He was momentarily winded by the blow to his stomach. 2 (BrE) to gently hit or rub a baby's back to make it BURP (= release gas from its stomach through its mouth) SYNBURP seealsoLONG-WINDED 1 [+adv./prep.] (of a road, river, etc.) to have many bends and twists: [V] The path wound down to the beach. * [VN] The river winds its way between two meadows. seealsoWINDING 2 [VN+adv./prep.] to wrap or twist sth around itself or sth else: He wound the wool into a ball. * Wind the bandage around your finger. 3 ~ (sth) (up) to make a clock or other mechanism work by turning a KNOB, handle, etc. several times; to be able to be made to work in this way: [VN] He had forgotten to wind his watch. * [V] It was one of those old-fashioned gramophones that winds up. seealsoWIND-UP 4 ~ (sth) forward / back to operate a tape, film, etc. so that it moves nearer to its ending or starting position: [VN] He wound the tape back to the beginning. * [V] Wind forward to the bit where they discover the body. 5 [VN] to turn a handle several times: You operate the trapdoor by winding this handle. IDIOMS see LITTLEFINGER wind noun: Give the handle another couple of winds. PHRASALVERBS wind down 1 (of a person) to rest or relax after a period of activity or excitement SYNUNWIND 2 (of a piece of machinery) to go slowly and then stop wind sth<->down 1 to bring a business, an activity, etc. to an end gradually over a period of time: The government is winding down its nuclear programme. * The department is being wound down after the election. 2 to make sth such as the window of a car move downwards by turning a handle, pressing a button, etc: Can I wind my window down? wind up (informal) (of a person) to find yourself in a particular place or situation: I always said he would wind up in prison. * [+-ing] We eventually wound up staying in a little hotel a few miles from town. * [+ADJ] If you take risks like that you'll wind up dead. wind up