winding

adj.bending, turning

Synonyms for winding

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Antonyms for winding

Word Origin & History

"air in motion," Old English wind, from Proto-Germanic *wendas (cf. Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, Dutch wind, Old Norse vindr, Old High German wind, German Wind, Gothic winds), from PIE *we-nt-o- "blowing," from root *we- "to blow" (cf. Sanskrit va-, Greek aemi-, Gothic waian, Old English wawan, Old High German wajan, German wehen, Old Church Slavonic vejati "to blow;" Sanskrit vatah, Avestan vata-, Hittite huwantis, Latin ventus, Old Church Slavonic vetru, Lithuanian vejas "wind;" Lithuanian vetra "tempest, storm;" Old Irish feth "air;" Welsh gwynt, Breton gwent "wind").

Normal pronunciation evolution made this word rhyme with kind and rind (Donne rhymes it with mind), but it shifted to a short vowel 18c., probably from influence of windy, where the short vowel is natural. A sad loss for poets, who now must rhyme it only with sinned and a handful of weak words. Symbolic of emptiness and vanity since late 13c.

Meaning "breath" is attested from late Old English; especially "breath in speaking" (early 14c.), so long-winded, also "easy or regular breathing" (early 14c.), hence second wind in the figurative sense (by 1830), an image from the sport of hunting.

Figurative phrase which way the wind blows for "the current state of affairs" is suggested from c.1400. To get wind of "receive information about" is by 1809, perhaps inspired by French avoir le vent de. To take the wind out of (one's) sails in the figurative sense (by 1883) is an image from sailing, where a ship without wind can make no progress. Wind-chill index is recorded from 1939. Wind energy from 1976. Wind vane from 1725.

Example Sentences forwinding

Upon the axle of the winding pulley there is a break pulley, p.

It was to the girl as if the fragrance were twining and winding about her and impelling her like leashes.

We resumed our burden now, and made our way with it down the winding path to the bottom.

He walks through the long, winding passages and into room after room.

So they turned into the winding trail, and rode into the camp.

There was a gap in the conversation, which Clennam devoted to winding up his watch.

Before long they reached a sort of glen, at the bottom of which was a winding river.

They were winding up now, in the weird moonlight, for the hour was approaching.

The tall and thin one spread the winding sheet over the bran.

In spite of my winding it my watch stopped and the hours slipped by uncounted.

winding

circuit

complex

convolution

crooked

curly

winding

More words related to winding

bending

circuit

complex

convolution

crooked

curly