winding down

Verb

wind down (third-person singular simple present winds down, present participle winding down, simple past and past participle wound down)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To lower by winding, as with a crank or windlass.
   • Wind down the car window if you want to talk to me.

   Synonyms:

   roll down, lower

   Antonyms:

   wind up, roll up, raise

2. (idiomatic, transitive) To unwind.
   • You'd better wind down that wind-up toy before you take it apart, or pieces might go flying.

   Synonyms:

   unwind, deactivate

   Antonyms:

   wind, wind up, activate

3. (idiomatic, transitive) To shut down slowly (by degrees or in phases).
   • A program as complex as the Space Shuttle program takes some time to wind down.

   Synonyms:

   unwind, shut down

   Antonyms:

   activate, fire up, power up, start up, boot up

4. (idiomatic, intransitive) To slow, as if coming to an end; to become calmer or less busy.
   • The festival seems to be winding down now.

   Synonyms:

   taper off

5. (idiomatic, intransitive) To relax; to get rid of stress; to destress.
   • After a long day at work, she winds down by kickboxing.

   Synonyms:

   calm down, unwind, chill out, let off steam

   Antonyms:

   power up