Antonyms for winding

Grammar : Adj

Spell : wahyn-ding

Phonetic Transcription : ˈwaɪn dɪŋ

Definition of winding

Origin : "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.
I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind. [Ernest Dowson, 1896]
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.

adj bending, turning

Example sentences :

Upon the axle of the winding pulley there is a break pulley, p.
Extract from : « Scientific American Supplement, No. 433, April 19, 1884 » by Various

It was to the girl as if the fragrance were twining and winding about her and impelling her like leashes.
Extract from : « Quaint Courtships » by Various

We resumed our burden now, and made our way with it down the winding path to the bottom.
Extract from : « In the Valley » by Harold Frederic

He walks through the long, winding passages and into room after room.
Extract from : « Buried Cities: Pompeii, Olympia, Mycenae » by Jennie Hall

So they turned into the winding trail, and rode into the camp.
Extract from : « Good Indian » by B. M. Bower

There was a gap in the conversation, which Clennam devoted to winding up his watch.
Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens

Before long they reached a sort of glen, at the bottom of which was a winding river.
Extract from : « The Field of Ice » by Jules Verne

They were winding up now, in the weird moonlight, for the hour was approaching.
Extract from : « The Channings » by Mrs. Henry Wood

The tall and thin one spread the winding sheet over the bran.
Extract from : « L'Assommoir » by Emile Zola

In spite of my winding it my watch stopped and the hours slipped by uncounted.
Extract from : « The Floating Island of Madness » by Jason Kirby

Synonyms for winding

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019