wind

1. informal A hint, suggestion, or rumor about something. Used especially with the verb "get." We've gotten wind that our competitors are working on some new kind of smart screen technology. Don't let the boss catch wind of what you're doing, or you'll be fired for sure!

2. informal Intestinal gas; flatulence. It is quite rude to pass wind so openly when in the company of others! I try to avoid eating food with lots of garlic. It tends to give me wind.

wind up

1. verb To tighten the spring inside an item or device, as by twisting a knob. A noun or pronoun can be used between "wind" and "up." Let me try winding up your watch—maybe that will get it going again.

2. verb To twist or coil something (around a particular surface or thing). A noun or pronoun can be used between "wind" and "up." The cat will keep playing with that yarn, unless you wind it up on the spool.

3. verb To cause someone or something to become more animated. A noun or pronoun can be used between "wind" and "up." Please don't wind the kids up right before bedtime.

4. verb To come to an end. The party wound up earlier than I'd expected, and I was in bed by 11.

5. verb To conclude something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "wind" and "up." I was completely exhausted and decided to wind up the party early. Wind it up, guys. We need to get going.

6. verb To cause someone to become anxious or agitated. A noun or pronoun can be used between "wind" and "up." Quit watching the news—it always winds you up.

7. verb To cause someone to talk for a long time and with enthusiasm about a topic they are passionate about. A noun or pronoun can be used between "wind" and "up." Shakespeare just winds her up—she could talk about his tragedies for hours.

8. verb To settle or resolve something. After I inherited all that money, I tried to wind up some of my outstanding debts.

9. verb To reach a certain place or state. I didn't plan to go to the grocery store—I just wound up there after running some other errands. Few inventors wind up having the kind of success you're hoping for.

10. verb To twist or contort one's body in preparation for an athletic maneuver (as of a pitcher in baseball). As I watch their pitcher wind up, I can't help but wonder if he's injured. I saw her winding up to hit him, so I tried to intervene before she did.

11. noun The act of twisting or contorting one's body in preparation for an athletic maneuver (as of a pitcher in baseball). As a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated ("wind-up"). Look at their pitcher's wind-up—do you think he's injured?

wind something (up) (into something)

to coil something up into a ball or similar shape. Tony wound all the string up into a ball. Wind up the string into a ball. Please wind this into a ball.

See:

References in classic literature

"Because there is no other smell in the West wind but snuff," said Jip.

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The storm of rain and wind descended upon them towards eight o'clock.

Up to this time the Tankadere had always held her course to the north; but towards evening the wind, veering three quarters, bore down from the north-west.

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But the wind screeched and howled so madly that she scarce heard her own voice, and the man certainly failed to hear her, for he did not move.

She reached this place in safety, but no sooner had she seized fast hold of the slats of the big box in which the chickens were kept than the wind, as if enraged because the little girl dared to resist its power, suddenly redoubled its fury.

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But as she was listening to the wind she began to listen to something else.

"It's th' wind. Sometimes it sounds like as if some one was lost on th' moor an' wailin'.

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Hooja's men, working in relays, were com-mencing to show the effects of the strain under which they had been forced to work without food or water, and I think their weakening aided us almost as much as the slight freshening of the wind.

At last the wind rose to a fair gale, and we simply raced away from our pursuers as if they were standing still.

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I have heard it said that as we keep our birthdays when we are alive, so the ghosts of dead people, who are not easy in their graves, keep the day they died upon.--How the wind roars!'

Do you suppose it was by accident, I forgot to wind up the church- clock?

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The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone.

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'The wind was blowing on our left before, but now it is straight in my face.

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It did not seem possible that such frail craft could survive such stress of wind and water.

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They stood clasped thus in the blind night, bracing each other against the wind, cheek to cheek and lip to ear, in the manner of two hulks lashed stem to stern together.

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