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.
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.
- calm
the absence of wind; still air
文法句型
wind + verb (blows / picks up / dies down)
the wind
常見錯誤
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.
文法句型
possessive + wind
get + possessive + wind back
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
Christopher advised his team to ignore the wind from the rival company's press release.
文法句型
full of wind
nothing but wind
mere wind
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
- gas
standard American English term for the same condition; more direct
- flatulence
the formal medical term; less common in everyday conversation
文法句型
have wind
suffer from wind
trapped wind
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
Christopher loved the part of the symphony where the wind solo came in.
- 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
文法句型
the wind section
the winds
wind player
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
- knock the wind out of
phrase; more emphatic and descriptive than 'wind'
文法句型
wind + person (direct object)
be/get winded + (by + agent)
用法筆記
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'.
常見錯誤
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.
- burp
standard American English term for the same action; also a verb
- bring up wind
phrase; describes the result rather than the action
文法句型
wind + baby (direct object)
wind + noun + on + possessive + shoulder/back
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
文法句型
wind + object (handle/dial/window) + adverb
wind + object + up/down/forward/back
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
- tighten
focuses on the spring-tightening result rather than the turning action
文法句型
wind + clock/watch/toy
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
Anong watched the colourful parade wind slowly through the main street.
Tunde could see the river winding down into the valley below the village.
- straighten
to go in a direct line without curves
文法句型
wind + through/along/across/down + place
wind + possessive + way
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
- unwind
to remove something that was wound; also the opposite action
文法句型
wind + object + around + object
wind + object + round + object
用法筆記
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.