Definition of wind1

wind1noun

gió1

/wɪnd//wɪnd/

Word OriginOld English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wind and German Wind, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin ventus.

namespace

air that moves quickly as a result of natural forces

Example:
  • strong/high winds
  • gale-force winds
  • a light wind
  • a north/south/east/west wind
  • westerly/easterly winds
  • a chill/cold/biting wind from the north
  • gusty/howling winds
  • 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 breath of wind.
  • The wall gives some protection from the prevailing wind (= the direction the wind blows from most often).
  • The wind is getting up (= starting to blow strongly).
  • The wind has dropped (= stopped blowing strongly).
  • wind speed/direction
  • renewable energies like solar and wind power
Extra examples:
  • Adverse winds swept the boat off course.
  • Fans braved icy winds to watch the match.
  • Let's shelter out of the wind.
  • Let's wait until the wind drops before setting sail.
  • Rain and high winds are forecast.
  • The icy wind cut right through us.
  • The structure is able to withstand hurricane-force winds.
  • The unmanned capsule will bring particles of solar wind back to Earth.
  • The wind came from the west.
  • The wind roared through the tunnel.
  • The wind suddenly changed and began blowing from the north.
  • The wind whipped up the surface of the lake.
  • There was a stiff wind blowing.
  • There wasn't a breath of wind in the still air.
  • They set sail the next morning with a fair wind.
  • We tried to take advantage of the prevailing south-westerly winds.
  • We were rowing against the wind.
  • We were sailing into the wind.
  • The seeds are carried long distances by the wind.
  • a flag flapping in the wind
  • a northerly wind gusting up to 80 mph
  • A chill north wind was blowing.
  • Several trees were blown over in high winds.
  • The garden is sheltered from the prevailing wind.
  • Torrential rain and gale-force winds swept the country last night.
  • They are installing a wind energy system.
  • wind gusts of up to 70 mph

Related words and phrases

air that you swallow with food or drink; gas that is produced in your stomach or intestines that makes you feel uncomfortable

Example:
  • I can't eat beans—they give me wind.
  • Try to bring the baby's wind up.

breath that you need when you do exercise or blow into a musical instrument

Example:
  • I need time to get my wind back after that run.
  • He kicked Gomez in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

Related words and phrases

the group of musical instruments in an orchestra that produce sounds when you blow into them, especially woodwind instruments; the musicians who play those instruments

Example:
  • music for wind and strings
  • The wind plays/play beautifully in this passage.
  • The winds play beautifully.
  • The wind section played beautifully.
  • a wind band

Idioms

break wind
to release gas from your bowels through your anus
a following wind
(figurative)a wind blowing in the same direction as a ship or other vehicle that helps it move faster
  • With a generous following wind, we sped across the lake.
  • With a bit of luck and a following wind, the project will be completed on schedule.
    • get wind of something
    (informal)to hear about something secret or private
  • She didn’t want reporters getting wind of their plans.
    • get/have the wind up (about something)
    (informal)to become/be frightened about something
    in the wind
    about to happen soon, although you do not know exactly how or when
  • Once again, changes are in the wind.
    • it’s an ill wind (that blows nobody any good)
    (saying)no problem is so bad that it does not bring some advantage to somebody
    like the wind
    very quickly
  • We ran like the wind.
    • put the wind up somebody
    (British English, informal)to make somebody frightened
  • Tell him that the police have been informed—that’ll put the wind up him.
    • sail close to the wind
    to take a risk by doing something that is dangerous or that may be illegal
    see which way the wind is blowing
    to get an idea of what is likely to happen before deciding what to do
    a straw in the wind
    (British English)a small sign of what might happen in the future
    take the wind out of somebody’s sails
    (informal)to make somebody suddenly less confident or angry, especially when you do or say something that they do not expect
  • When I agreed to his suggestion at once, it really took the wind out of his sails.
    • throw/cast caution to the wind(s)
    to stop caring about how dangerous something might be; to start taking risks
  • He threw caution to the wind and dived into the water after the child.
    • a wind/the winds of change
    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.