Explore Wind, water, sun Topic
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From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwindwind1 /wɪnd/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 air (also the wind) [countable, uncountable]DN moving air, especially when it moves strongly or quickly in a current → windy The wind blew from the northeast. Planes were unable to take off because of high winds. → crosswind, downwind, headwind, tailwind, trade wind, upwind2 → get/have wind of something3 breath [uncountable]BREATHE your ability to breathe normallyget your wind (back) (=be able to breathe normally again, for example after running)knock the wind out of somebody (=hit someone in the stomach so that they cannot breathe for a moment) → second wind at second1(12), → windpipe4 in your stomach [uncountable] British EnglishMI the condition of having air or gas in your stomach or intestines, or the air or gas itself SYN gas American English I can’t drink beer – it gives me wind. ‘What’s wrong with the baby?’ ‘Just a little wind.’5 → take the wind out of somebody’s sails6 → see which way the wind is blowing7 → something is in the wind8 → winds of change/freedom/public opinion etc9 → put the wind up somebody/get the wind up10 → the winds/the wind section11 → like the wind12 talk [uncountable] British English informalUNTRUE talk that does not mean anything → break wind at break1(31), → it’s an ill wind (that blows nobody any good) at ill1(4), → sail close to the wind at sail1(6), → straw in the wind at straw(5)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesstrongThe wind was so strong he could hardly stand.light/gentle (=not strong)Winds tomorrow will be light.high winds (=strong wind)High winds are making driving conditions difficult.a cold/chill windThere was a cold wind this afternoon.an icy/biting/bitter wind (=very cold)She shivered in the icy wind.a gusty/blustery wind (=not blowing steadily)A blustery wind was sending light flurries of rain against the window.a fresh wind British English (=quite cold and strong)It will feel colder in places exposed to a fresh northeasterly wind.a 20-/40-mile-an-hour windThe walkers struggled in 35-mile-an-hour winds.gale force/hurricane force winds (=very strong)He was buffeted by the gale force winds.the north/south etc wind (=coming from the north etc)They sought shelter from the north wind.a northerly/southerly etc wind (=coming from the north etc)A fresh northerly wind was speeding the ship southwards.the prevailing wind (=the most frequent wind in an area)The prevailing wind comes from the west.verbsthe wind blowsA cold wind was blowing.the wind picks up (also the wind gets up British English) (=becomes stronger)The rain beat down and the wind was picking up.the wind drops/dies down (=becomes less strong)The wind had dropped a little.the wind howls (=makes a lot of noise)The wind howled round the house all night.the wind changes (=starts blowing from a different direction)The wind had to change before his fighting ships could sail against the Spanish.phrasesa gust of windA gust of wind rattled the window.be blowing/swaying/flapping etc in the windThe trees were all swaying in the wind.wind + NOUNwind speedWind speeds of up to 80 miles an hour were recorded. THESAURUSwind air moving in a current, especially strongly or quicklyA cold wind was blowing from the east.Strong winds caused damage to many buildings.breeze a gentle pleasant windThe trees were moving gently in the breeze.A slight breeze ruffled her hair.draught British English, draft American English /drɑːft $ dræft/ a current of cool air which blows into a room, especially one that makes you feel uncomfortableThere’s a bit of a draught in here – can you close the door?a strong windgale a very strong windThe ship was blown off course in a severe gale.Howling gales and torrential rain continued throughout the night.hurricane a storm that has very strong fast winds and that moves over water – used about storms in the North Atlantic OceanThe hurricane devastated Florida and killed at least 40 people.typhoon a violent tropical storm – used about storms in the Western Pacific OceanA typhoon has hit the Philippines, lifting roofs off houses and uprooting trees.tornado (also twister American English informal) a violent storm with strong winds that spin very quickly in a circle, often forming a cloud that is narrower at the bottom than the topThe town was hit by a tornado that damaged several homes.cyclone a violent tropical storm with strong winds that spin in a circleA devastating cyclone struck Bangladesh in April that year.This cyclone was traveling at speeds in excess of 21 miles per hour.
Examples from the Corpus
wind• We tie up the boats and wade up the creek towards it, enveloped in a wind of fine mist.• You can even feel the deck shift beneath your feet or shiver in the ice cold arctic wind.• There was a biting wind from the right which made all the dead winter stems rattle and rustle feverishly.• A bitter wind was blowing from the East• a 30-mile-an-hour wind• A sudden gust of wind blew the paper out of his hand.• Some kind of wind had risen outside and was whistling through the rotten window casement and the ill-fitted panes.• With the rain came a southerly wind, moderate at first but then steadily increasing until it built to gale force.• Strong winds caused damage to many buildings.• But everyone erupted into giggles and bolted down the street as free of deference as the wind.• Gregson felt the wind whipping around him, felt the chill grow more intense.• The flags fluttered gently in the wind.• We walked home through the wind and the rain.• She could not believe that the typhoon winds of change could alter our family.knock the wind out of somebody• None of this has knocked the wind out of me, so to speak.• Seeing an actual reproduction of it knocks the wind out of me.windwind2 /waɪnd/ ●●● S3 W3 verb (past tense and past participle wound /waʊnd/) 1 [transitive always + adverb/preposition]BEND to turn or twist something several times around something elsewind something around/round something The hair is divided into sections and wound around heated rods.2 [transitive] (also wind up)TURN to turn part of a machine around several times, in order to make it move or start working Did you remember to wind the clock?3 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]BEND if a road, river etc winds somewhere, it has many smooth bends and is usually very longwind (its way) through/along etc something Highway 99 winds its way along the coast. a winding path4 [transitive] to make a tape move in a machinewind something forward/back Can you wind the video back a little way – I want to see that bit again. → rewind —wind noun [countable] → wind down → wind up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
wind• I hate watches that you have to wind.• She wound the car window down to speak to the police officer.• Once they were driving to meet friends for dinner when they spotted a pair winding across the highway.• Route 101 winds along the coastline for several hundred miles.• Try winding four or five large curlers into the crown to add height.• He could maybe wind her up a bit if he had the chance.• My watch has stopped - I must have forgotten to wind it.• We decided to take the Blueridge Parkway, which winds its way through the Smoky Mountains.• The staircase appears almost to be floating on air, as it winds its way up three stories.• As the day winds on, he collects a few possums, a couple of skunks.• You wind the handle on the side to make the music play.• The trail winds through the hills and then down towards Ironhorse Falls.• Herb could wind up on the Ginza in Tokyo.wind (its way) through/along etc something• Fifty miles of color-coded pipes as thick as an arm wind along the wall.• Follow the path as it winds its way through the forest.• He felt it winding through his own arteries, something vile and slippery like heavy black oil in a crankcase.• In my imagination I saw a country road winding through granite hills or threading the sides of dunes.• The Turtle winds through the park near several buildings and roads damaged last week.• Then we wind through interminable streets of Edwardian terraced houses converted to flats and rooms.• There was a brittleness in the sound of wind through the trees that spoke of fall and ruin.• We swam in the chilly river of the Titou Gorge where it winds through caverns underground.windwind3 /wɪnd/ verb (past tense and past participle winded) [transitive] to make someone have difficulty breathing, as a result of falling on something or being hit The fall winded him and he lay still for a moment.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
wind• Once they were driving to meet friends for dinner when they spotted a pair winding across the highway.From Longman Business Dictionarywindwind /waɪnd/ verb (past tense and past participle wound /waʊnd/) → wind something → down → wind something → up→ See Verb tableOrigin wind1 Old English 