Main Entry: ¹wind

Pronunciation: \ˈwind, archaic or poetic ˈwīnd\

Function: noun

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German wint wind, Latin ventus, Greek aēnai to blow, Sanskrit vāti it blows

Date: before 12th century

1 a : a natural movement of air of any velocity; especially : the earth's air or the gas surrounding a planet in natural motion horizontally b : an artificially produced movement of air c : solar wind, stellar wind
2 a : a destructive force or influence b : a force or agency that carries along or influences : tendency, trend <withstood the winds of popular opinion — Felix Frankfurter>
3 a : breath 4a b : breath 2a c : the pit of the stomach : solar plexus
4 : gas generated in the stomach or the intestines <pass wind>
5 a : compressed air or gas b archaic : air
6 : something that is insubstantial: as a : mere talk : idle words b : nothing, nothingness c : vain self-satisfaction
7 a : air carrying a scent (as of a hunter or game) b : slight information especially about something secret : intimation <got wind of the plan>
8 a : musical wind instruments especially as distinguished from strings and percussion b plural : players of wind instruments
9 a : a direction from which the wind may blow : a point of the compass; especially : one of the cardinal points b : the direction from which the wind is blowing

— wind·less \-ləs\ adjective

— wind·less·ly adverb

— before the wind : in the same direction as the main force of the wind

— close to the wind : as nearly as possible against the main force of the wind

— have the wind of 1 : to be to windward of
2 : to be on the scent of
3 : to have a superior position to

— in the wind : about to happen : astir, afoot <change is in the wind>

— near the wind 1 : close to the wind
2 : close to a point of danger : near the permissible limit

— off the wind : away from the direction from which the wind is blowing

— on the wind : toward the direction from which the wind is blowing

— to the wind or to the winds : aside, away <threw caution to the wind>

— under the wind 1 : to leeward
2 : in a place protected from the wind : under the lee