wind
wind — noun
1. the air outdoors when it moves from one place to another, especially strongly en
the air outdoors when it moves from one place to another, especially strongly enough that you can feel it on your skin or notice its impact on things around you.
Yumi's hat flew off when a sudden gust of wind blew across the bridge.
collocation: gust of wind / strong wind
The old windmill on Ravindra's farm only turned when the wind picked up.
Tunde checked the wind direction before lighting the campfire.
collocation: wind direction
Brooke could hear the wind howling outside her bedroom window all night.
The kite Anthony bought for his daughter needed a steady wind to stay up.
collocation: steady wind / light wind
- strong wind
- light wind
- steady wind
- gust of wind
- wind direction
- wind speed
- in the wind
- against the wind
- calm
the absence of wind; still air
Grammar Patterns
wind + verb (blows / picks up / dies down)
the wind
Common Mistakes
2. the breath that fills your lungs and the physical ability to breathe steadily, e
the breath that fills your lungs and the physical ability to breathe steadily, especially during or after physical effort.
Noa had to stop running to catch her wind after the race.
idiom: catch your wind / get your wind back
The singer lost her wind halfway through the second song on stage.
Felix paused at the top of the stairs to get his wind back before speaking.
Élise took a deep breath to regain her wind after swimming to the shore.
collocation: regain your wind
- catch your wind
- get your wind back
- lose your wind
- regain your wind
Grammar Patterns
possessive + wind
get + possessive + wind back
Usage Note
Commonly appears in fixed phrases such as 'catch your wind' (rest until breathing returns to normal), 'get your wind back' (recover normal breathing), and 'lose your wind' (become short of breath). Not used with indefinite articles — you would not say *a wind* in this sense.
Common Mistakes
3. speech or writing that sounds impressive but has no real meaning, truth, or prac
speech or writing that sounds impressive but has no real meaning, truth, or practical value.
Tariq's campaign speech was full of wind and offered no real solutions.
collocation: full of wind
The journalist dismissed the minister's promises as mere wind.
Luca could tell that the sales presentation was nothing but wind.
collocation: nothing but wind
Christopher advised his team to ignore the wind from the rival company's press release.
- full of wind
- nothing but wind
- mere wind
- empty wind
Grammar Patterns
full of wind
nothing but wind
mere wind
Usage Note
This sense is almost always used after 'full of,' 'nothing but,' or 'mere' to emphasize the lack of substance. It is not used in the plural and cannot be used with numbers.
Common Mistakes
4. gas that builds up inside your body while food is being digested, collecting in
gas that builds up inside your body while food is being digested, collecting in the belly part or gut area, which can cause swelling, pain, or the need to let it out.
Zola gave the baby some medicine to relieve the trapped wind in her stomach.
collocation: trapped wind / relieve wind
Anong felt uncomfortable after dinner because of excess wind from the beans.
The doctor told Tunde that his bloating was caused by wind and not a serious condition.
Some babies cry a lot because they have wind and need to be burped gently.
collocation: have wind / bring up wind
- trapped wind
- excess wind
- have wind
- suffer from wind
- bring up wind
- break wind
- gas
standard American English term for the same condition; more direct
- flatulence
the formal medical term; less common in everyday conversation
Grammar Patterns
have wind
suffer from wind
trapped wind
Usage Note
Predominantly British English; American English more commonly uses 'gas' for this meaning. 'Trapped wind' is a common medical expression. The verb phrase 'break wind' (release intestinal gas) is a separate idiomatic expression.
Common Mistakes
5. in an orchestra or band, the set of instruments that need the player to send air
in an orchestra or band, the set of instruments that need the player to send air through them to create sound, as well as the performers operating those instruments.
Tuan played the clarinet in the wind section of the school orchestra.
collocation: wind section / wind instrument
Renata joined the wind section after she switched from violin to flute.
The winds tuned their instruments while the string players watched the conductor.
grammar: 'the winds' as a plural noun for players
Christopher loved the part of the symphony where the wind solo came in.
- wind section
- wind instrument
- wind player
- the winds
- woodwind section
more specific; wind can also include brass, but woodwind is the core group in most orchestra contexts
- wind instruments
refers to the instruments themselves rather than the players
- string section
instruments played with a bow or plucked, not blown
- percussion section
instruments played by hitting, not blowing
Grammar Patterns
the wind section
the winds
wind player
Usage Note
Often preceded by 'the' when referring to the section as a whole ('the wind section'). 'The winds' (plural) can refer to the wind instruments collectively or the musicians who play them. Individual instruments include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone.
Common Mistakes
break wind
idiomTo release gas from the stomach through the bottom.
The old man broke wind loudly during the quiet meeting.
Did you just break wind? That was rude.
a following wind
idiomA wind that blows from behind and helps a ship or vehicle move faster.
With a strong following wind, the yacht reached the island quickly.
We hope for a following wind to speed up our journey.
To learn about something secret or private.
The journalist got wind of the scandal and published the story.
If the boss gets wind of our plan, we'll be in trouble.
To become or be frightened about something.
The students got the wind up when they heard about the surprise test.
Maya had the wind up about her job interview tomorrow.
in the wind
idiomLikely to happen soon, though the details are not yet clear.
Changes in company policy are in the wind, but no one knows exactly what.
Rumors say a promotion is in the wind for Diego.
Every bad situation brings some benefit to someone.
The storm destroyed our garden, but it's an ill wind—we found a lost puppy.
Losing his job was hard, but it's an ill wind; he started his own business.
like the wind
idiomVery fast.
The cheetah ran like the wind across the savanna.
Sara finished her exam like the wind and left early.
To make someone feel frightened.
The sudden noise put the wind up the little girl.
His threat to call the police put the wind up the thief.
To take a risk by doing something dangerous or possibly illegal.
The company sailed close to the wind by avoiding taxes.
Brian sailed close to the wind when he drove without a license.
To find out what is likely to happen before making a decision.
Politicians often see which way the wind is blowing before taking a stand.
Let's see which way the wind is blowing before we invest.
a straw in the wind
idiomA small sign that shows what might happen in the future.
The drop in sales is a straw in the wind for the company's future.
His early interest in music was a straw in the wind of his career.
To make someone suddenly less confident or angry, often by doing something unexpected.
Her calm response took the wind out of his angry argument.
When I agreed immediately, it took the wind out of his sails.
To stop being careful and start taking risks.
He threw caution to the wind and invested all his savings in the startup.
On vacation, she cast caution to the wind and tried skydiving.
A series of events that will cause important changes.
The winds of change are blowing through the education system.
A wind of change swept the country after the election.
wind — verb
1. to strike or push against the front of someone's body and cause them to struggle
to strike or push against the front of someone's body and cause them to struggle to breathe for a brief period.
The football hit Tunde in the chest and winded him for a moment.
direct object: wind + person
Felix was winded after falling off his bike onto the hard pavement.
passive: be/get winded
Noa got winded during the final lap of the race and had to slow down.
The heavy box slipped and hit Daichi in the stomach, winding him badly.
- wind someone
- get winded
- be winded
- knock the wind out of
phrase; more emphatic and descriptive than 'wind'
Grammar Patterns
wind + person (direct object)
be/get winded + (by + agent)
Usage Note
Pronunciation: /wɪnd/ (rhymes with 'pinned' and 'grinned'). Past tense and past participle: winded (not 'wound'). Frequently used in the passive voice (be winded, get winded). Do not confuse this with verb senses 3–6, which are pronounced /waɪnd/ and have the past form 'wound'.
Common Mistakes
2. to gently rub or pat a baby's back after feeding so that air in the stomach come
to gently rub or pat a baby's back after feeding so that air in the stomach comes up and the baby burps.
Yumi gently winded the baby over her shoulder after each morning feed.
pattern: wind + baby + over/on [body part]
Ravindra held the infant upright and winded him until he let out a small burp.
Zola read a parenting book that said to wind the baby for at least ten minutes.
The nurse showed Anong how to wind a newborn by rubbing its back gently.
pattern: wind + newborn/baby
- wind a baby
- wind a newborn
- winded over the shoulder
- burp
standard American English term for the same action; also a verb
- bring up wind
phrase; describes the result rather than the action
Grammar Patterns
wind + baby (direct object)
wind + noun + on + possessive + shoulder/back
Usage Note
Pronunciation: /wɪnd/ (rhymes with 'pinned'). Past tense: winded. Predominantly British English. In American English, 'burp the baby' is the standard phrase. This sense is about helping a baby release stomach air after feeding — not to be confused with verb sense 1 (knocking breath out), though both are pronounced the same way.
Common Mistakes
3. to operate or adjust something by gripping and rotating a lever, dial, or roller
to operate or adjust something by gripping and rotating a lever, dial, or roller, often more than once in a repeated motion.
Daichi wound the handle of the old well until water began to flow out.
past tense: wound /waʊnd/
Brooke wound down the car window to order from the drive-through menu.
phrasal: wind down (a window)
Luca carefully wound the tape forward to find the right scene.
The old projector only works if you wind the film through by hand.
- wind a handle
- wind a dial
- wind a window down/up
- wind tape forward/back
Grammar Patterns
wind + object (handle/dial/window) + adverb
wind + object + up/down/forward/back
Usage Note
Pronunciation: /waɪnd/ (rhymes with 'find' and 'kind'). Past tense and past participle: wound /waʊnd/. This sense covers turning handles, cranks, dials, and rollers — not to be confused with wind /wɪnd/ (breath-related senses 1–2 of the verb). The noun 'window' comes from Old Norse 'vindr auga' (wind eye) and is not related to this verb.
Common Mistakes
4. to turn a knob, key, or handle on a clock, watch, or mechanical toy so that a sp
to turn a knob, key, or handle on a clock, watch, or mechanical toy so that a spring inside tightens and the device can keep working.
Tariq winds his grandfather clock every Sunday without fail.
collocation: wind a clock
Anthony forgot to wind his watch and it stopped at exactly midnight.
Renata wound the old alarm clock before going to sleep each night.
The antique toy soldier walks across the floor when you wind the key on its back.
pattern: wind + the key on [object]
- wind a clock
- wind a watch
- wind a toy
- wind the key
- needs winding
- tighten
focuses on the spring-tightening result rather than the turning action
Grammar Patterns
wind + clock/watch/toy
Usage Note
Pronunciation: /waɪnd/ (rhymes with 'find'). Past tense: wound /waʊnd/. The object of this verb is always a clock, watch, music box, mechanical toy, or similar spring-driven mechanism. Unlike verb sense 3, this sense specifically refers to tightening a spring to store energy, not just turning any handle.
Common Mistakes
5. to follow a route that changes direction many times instead of going straight, u
to follow a route that changes direction many times instead of going straight, used for roads, paths, rivers, and similar features.
The mountain path wound through the forest for nearly ten miles.
pattern: wind through [place]
A narrow river winds its way between the hills toward the coast.
pattern: wind one's way
Élise followed the winding road up the steep hill to the old castle.
adjective form: winding road/path/street
Anong watched the colourful parade wind slowly through the main street.
Tunde could see the river winding down into the valley below the village.
- wind through
- wind along
- wind around
- wind down
- winding road
- winding path
- wind one's way
- straighten
to go in a direct line without curves
Grammar Patterns
wind + through/along/across/down + place
wind + possessive + way
Usage Note
Pronunciation: /waɪnd/ (rhymes with 'find'). Past tense: wound /waʊnd/. Almost always intransitive; the subject is a road, path, river, stream, trail, corridor, or similar linear feature. The participial adjective 'winding' (e.g., a winding road) is very common.
Common Mistakes
6. to cover or encircle something by wrapping a long, flexible material around it s
to cover or encircle something by wrapping a long, flexible material around it several times, or to twist material repeatedly around itself.
Christopher wound the woollen scarf tightly around his neck before going outside.
pattern: wind [object] around [object]
Noa wound the rope around the wooden post to secure the small boat.
Yumi wound the loose thread around her finger so it would not get tangled.
The climbing plant wound itself around the metal fence on the balcony.
pattern: wind + itself + around [object]
- wind around
- wind round
- wind itself around
- wind tightly/loosely
- unwind
to remove something that was wound; also the opposite action
Grammar Patterns
wind + object + around + object
wind + object + round + object
Usage Note
Pronunciation: /waɪnd/ (rhymes with 'find'). Past tense: wound /waʊnd/. The direct object is the material being wrapped (scarf, rope, thread, bandage), and it is followed by 'around' or 'round' plus the thing it wraps. The material can be wound 'around yourself' or 'around something else.' The reflexive form (wind itself around) is common for plants, snakes, and similar living things.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Wind is the general, everyday word for moving air outdoors. A breeze is a light, gentle wind — pleasant and not strong enough to cause trouble ('a cool breeze from the sea'). A gust is a sudden, brief rush of stronger wind that comes and goes quickly ('a gust of wind nearly pulled the umbrella from her hands'). A gale is a very strong, sustained wind that can cause damage, often used in weather warnings ('the ship struggled against the gale'). A draft (British draught) specifically refers to a current of cool air inside a room or enclosed space, not outside ('I felt a cold draft from under the door'). Use wind for general outdoor conditions, breeze for pleasant gentle air, gust for sudden bursts, gale for dangerous storms, and draft for indoor currents.
Common collocations
Nouns
- wind speed
- wind direction
- wind power
- wind energy
Adverbs
- against the wind
- into the wind
- with the wind
Phrases
- a breath of wind
- a gust of wind
- the wind picks up
- the wind dies down
- the wind changes
- in the teeth of the wind
- the wind in your sails
Prepositions
- in the wind
- out of the wind
- wind from (the east/north)
Etymology
Modern English wind combines two historically separate words that arrived at the same spelling. The noun wind (air in motion, pronounced /wɪnd/) comes from Old English 'wind,' from Proto-Germanic *windaz, related to the Latin 'ventus' (wind) and the Greek 'aēdēs' (to blow) — all tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂weh₁- meaning 'to blow.' The verb wind meaning 'to turn or twist' (pronounced /waɪnd/) comes from a different source: Old English 'windan' (to twist, coil, turn), from Proto-Germanic *windaną, from the PIE root *wendʰ- meaning 'to turn, wind.' In Middle English, the two roots merged in spelling but kept their distinct pronunciations and past-tense forms (winded vs. wound). This is why wind (/wɪnd/) and wind (/waɪnd/) look the same on the page but behave differently in speech and grammar.