noun

wind

WIHND

noun

The natural movement of air, especially a noticeable current outdoors.

"A strong wind knocked over several garden chairs."

"The wind picked up just before the storm hit."

verb

To turn or twist something around a central point, or to follow a curving path (pronounced differently from the "air" sense).

"Wind the string around the spool before you put it away."

"The road winds through the hills for several miles."

To tighten the spring of a clockwork mechanism.

"Don't forget to wind the clock every week."

To knock the breath out of someone, usually with a blow to the stomach.

"The fall winded him so badly he couldn't speak for a minute."

How to Use Wind

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither moving air (noun, rhymes with "tinned"), or to turn/twist something, or knock someone breathless (verb, rhymes with "find").

Common mistake

The weather noun and the "turn/twist" verb are unrelated words that happen to share a spelling — they're pronounced differently (wind vs. wynd).

Common pairings

wind up a clock a winding road knocked the wind out of him

Word Forms

winded past tense, wound past tense, wound past tense, winded past tense, winds plural, winds singular, winds singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

A strong _____ knocked over several garden chairs.

Etymology

The "moving air" noun and the "twist/turn" verb both trace to Old English, but they come from different roots that happened to end up spelled the same in modern English.

Rhymes for wind

Ind mind kind bind find rind lind hind grind blind rewind unwind

See all rhymes for wind →