windings

Noun (1)

winding (countable and uncountable, plural windings)

1. (attributive) The act of winnowing (“subjecting food grain to a current of air to separate the grain from the chaff”).
2. The act of blowing air through a wind instrument or (chiefly) a horn to make a sound.
   • Novv their opinions of the end of the vvorld, of Paradiſe, and of hell; exceede the vanity of dreames, and all old vviues fables. They ſay, that at the vvinding of a horne not only all fleſh ſhall die, but the Angels themſelues: & that the earth vvith earthquakes ſhall be kneaded together like a...1615, George Sandys, “The First Booke”, in The Relation of a Iourney Begun An: Dom: 1610. […], London: […] [Richard Field] for W. Barrett, →OCLC, page 58

Noun (2)

winding (countable and uncountable, plural windings)

1. The act of twisting something, or coiling or wrapping something around another thing.
   • Then there was […] a vast deal of screwing and tightening, and winding and tuning, during which Mrs. Briggs expatiated to those near her on the immense difficulty of playing a guitar, and hinted at the wondrous proficiency of her daughters in that mystic art.1834 October, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “The Steam Excursion”, in Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume II, London: John Macrone, […]...
2. (especially, in plural) A curving, sinuous, or twisting movement; twists and turns.
   • [T]here vvill be hurly burly, like as ye ſee in a man vvhen he dieth; vvhat deformity appeareth, hovv he ſtretcheth out all his members, vvhat a vvinding is there, ſo that all his body cometh out of frame?1552 November 29 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, Augustine Bernher, compiler, “Sermon XXX. Preached upon the Second Sunday in Advent. 1552..”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God...
3. (especially, in plural) A curving, sinuous, or twisting form.
   • Berenice ſtandeth upon the utmoſt vvinding and nouke of Syrtis, called ſometime the cittie of the above-named Heſperides, according to the vvandering tales of Greece.1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book V.] Cyrene.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus....
4. Chiefly followed by up: the act of tightening the spring of a clockwork or other mechanism.
   • Is there a Tongue, like Delia’s o’er her cup, / That runs for Ages vvithout vvinding-up?1725, [Edward Young], “Satire I. To His Grace the Duke of Dorset.”, in Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In Seven Characteristical Satires, 4th edition, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson...

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