Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - wind

~1 n 1 »AIR« moving air, especially when it moves strongly or quickly in a current  (a 70-mile-an-hour wind | branches swaying in the wind | the wind blows)  (A gentle wind was blowing through the trees. | strong/high winds)  (The forecast is for strong winds and heavy rain. | a gust of wind (=a short strong wind))  (A sudden gust of wind blew the door shut. | east/west/north/south wind (=coming from the east etc) | a gentle/soft/light wind)  (A soft wind teased a tendril of her hair. | a bitter/chill/biting wind (=a very cold wind) | the wind is up/gets up (=blows more strongly) | the wind drops (=blows less strongly))  (We'll wait till the wind drops before we put the tent up.)  (- see also headwind) 2 get/have wind of informal to hear or find out about something secret or private, especially if you learn it accidentally or unofficially  (Jeremy, I don't want that reporter getting wind of this.) 3 »BREATH« your ability to breathe without difficulty  (get your wind (back) (=be able to breathe normally again, for example after running) | knock the wind out of (=hit someone in the stomach so that they cannot breathe for a moment))  (- see also second wind, windpipe) 4 take the wind out of sb's sails informal to make someone lose their confidence, especially by saying or doing something unexpected 5 see which way the wind is blowing to find out what the situation is before you do something or make a decision 6 be in the wind used to say that something is happening or going to happen, but not many people know what it is 7 the winds of change/freedom/public opinion etc events and changes that have started to happen and will have important effects, and that cannot be stopped 8 get the wind up/put the wind up sb BrE informal to become anxious or frightened, or to make someone feel this way  (The threat of legal action will be enough to put the wind up them.) 9 »IN YOUR STOMACH« BrE the condition of having air or gas in your stomach, or the air or gas itself; gas AmE  (I can't drink beer, it gives me wind.) 10 the winds/the wind section all the musicians who play wind instruments in a band 11 »TALK« informal useless talk that does not mean anything  (- see also windy, break wind break1 (42), an ill wind (that blows no good) ill1 (5), sail close to the wind sail1 (6), straw in the wind straw (4)) ~2 v past tense and past participle wound, 1 I always + adv/prep, T always + adv/prep to turn or twist something repeatedly, especially around something else  (wind sth around/round)  (Wind the wires around those pins there. | wind sth forward/back)  (Can you wind the video back a little way - I want to see that bit again.) + around/round  (Make sure the thread winds evenly around the bobbin.)  (- see also rewind) 2 also wind up to turn something such as a handle or part of a machine around and around, especially in order to make something move or start working  (What time is it? I forgot to wind my watch. | It was one of those old gramophones that you have to wind up. | wind sth down/up BrE)  (Would you mind winding down the window?) 3 if a road, track, river etc winds, it has many smooth bends and is usually very long  (wind (its way) through/along)  (Highway 99 winds its way along the coast.)  (- see also winding) wind down phr v 1 T wind something down) to gradually reduce the work of a business or organization so that it can be closed down completely 2 to rest and relax after a lot of hard work or excitement  (I find it difficult to wind down after a day at work.) wind up phr v 1 T wind something up) bring an activity, meeting etc to an end  (OK, just to wind up, could I summarize what we've decided? | It's time to wind things up - I have a plane to catch.) 2 T wind something up) to close down a company or organization  (Our operations in Jamaica are being wound up.) 3 linking verb) informal to unintentionally get into an unpleasant situation or place as a result of something you have done + with/in/at etc  (You know you're going to wind up in court over this.) wind up doing  (I wound up wishing I'd never come. | wind up drunk/dead/ill etc)  (You keep driving like that and you'll wind up dead.) 4 T wind someone up) BrE to deliberately say or do something in order to annoy someone, especially because you enjoy annoying them  (Stupid! They're only winding you up.)  (- see also wound up) ~3 n a bend or turn  (give sth a wind)  (Give that crank another wind, will you?) ~4 v to make someone have difficulty in breathing  (be winded)  ("Is he OK?" "Yeah, I think he's just winded.")