wind

¹wind

noun, often attributive \ˈwind, archaic or poetic ˈwīnd\

Definition of WIND

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

Origin of WIND

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

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

Rhymes with WIND

bind, blind, find, grind, hind, kind, mind, rind, signed, spined, tined, wynd