3
VERB
When you
wind
a mechanical device, for example a watch or a clock, you turn a knob, key, or handle on it several times in order to make it operate. □ [V
n]
4
VERB
To
wind
a tape or film
back
or
forward
means to make it move towards its starting or ending position. □ [V
n adv]
▸ wind down
1
PHRASAL VERB
When you
wind down
something such as the window of a car, you make it move downwards by turning a handle. □ [V
P
n]
2
PHRASAL VERB
If you
wind down
, you relax after doing something that has made you feel tired or tense. [INFORMAL
] □ [V
P
]
3
PHRASAL VERB
If someone
winds down
a business or activity, they gradually reduce the amount of work that is done or the number of people that are involved, usually before closing or stopping it completely. □ [V
P
n]
▸ wind up
1
PHRASAL VERB
When you
wind up
an activity, you finish it or stop doing it. □ [V
P
n]
2
PHRASAL VERB
When someone
winds up
a business or other organization, they stop running it and close it down completely. [BUSINESS
] □ [V
P
n]
3
PHRASAL VERB
If you
wind up
in a particular place, situation, or state, you are in it at the end of a series of actions, events, or experiences, even though you did not originally intend to be. □ [V
P
prep/adv]
4
PHRASAL VERB
When you
wind up
something such as the window of a car, you make it move upwards by turning a handle. □ [V
n P
]
5
PHRASAL VERB
If you
wind
someone
up
, you deliberately say things which annoy them. [BRIT
, INFORMAL
] □ [V
n P
]
6
PHRASAL VERB
If you
wind
someone
up
, you say untrue things in order to trick them. [BRIT
, INFORMAL
] □ [V
n P
]
7 → see also wind ➋ 3 , wind-up , wound up SYNONYMS wind NOUN ➊1
breeze:
gust:
draught:
wind|bag /w I ndbæg/ (windbags ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a windbag , you are saying in a fairly rude way that you think they talk a great deal in a boring way. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
wind-blown /w I nd bloʊn/ also windblown
1
ADJ
You can use
wind-blown
to indicate that something has been blown from one place to another by the wind. □
2 ADJ If something such as someone's hair is wind-blown , it is untidy because it has been blown about by the wind.
wind|break /w I ndbre I k/ (windbreaks ) N‑COUNT A windbreak is something such as a line of trees or a fence which gives protection against the wind.