wind
wind Lexical Profile
wind Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.
"The strong wind blew the leaves across the yard and knocked over the patio chairs."
Breath as needed in physical exertion, speech, or playing a musical instrument.
"It took her a few minutes to catch her wind after sprinting up the steep hill."
Empty, unimportant, or boastful talk.
"The politician's speech was nothing but wind, lacking any concrete policy proposals."
• verb
To move in or take a twisting or spiral course.
"The narrow river winds through the dense forest before emptying into the valley."
To cause a mechanism (such as a clock or watch) to operate by turning a key or knob to tighten its spring.
"My grandfather remembers having to wind his pocket watch every morning to keep the time accurate."
To cause someone to have difficulty breathing, typically as a result of a blow to the stomach or heavy exertion (past tense form is usually 'winded').
"The sudden tackle from behind winded the quarterback, leaving him gasping on the turf."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Wind" is a heteronym: when referring to moving air, it is pronounced with a short 'i' (/wɪnd/); when meaning to twist or coil, it is pronounced with a long 'i' (/waɪnd/) and takes irregular past tense forms (wound).
• Rhymes for wind
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The noun (moving air) derives from Old English 'wind', from Proto-Germanic '*windaz'. The verb (to turn/twist) derives from Old English 'windan', from Proto-Germanic '*windaną'.