Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Wind \Wind\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wound} (wound) (rarely
{Winded}); p. pr. & vb. n. {Winding}.] [OE. winden, AS.
windan; akin to OS. windan, D. & G. winden, OHG. wintan,
Icel. & Sw. vinda, Dan. vinde, Goth. windan (in comp.). Cf.
{Wander}, {Wend}.]
1. To turn completely, or with repeated turns; especially, to
turn about something fixed; to cause to form convolutions
about anything; to coil; to twine; to twist; to wreathe;
as, to wind thread on a spool or into a ball.
Whether to wind The woodbine round this arbor.
--Milton.
2. To entwist; to infold; to encircle.
Sleep, and I will wind thee in arms. --Shak.
3. To have complete control over; to turn and bend at one's
pleasure; to vary or alter or will; to regulate; to
govern. ``To turn and wind a fiery Pegasus.'' --Shak.
In his terms so he would him wind. --Chaucer.
Gifts blind the wise, and bribes do please And wind
all other witnesses. --Herrick.
Were our legislature vested in the prince, he might
wind and turn our constitution at his pleasure.
--Addison.
4. To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate.
You have contrived . . . to wind Yourself into a
power tyrannical. --Shak.
Little arts and dexterities they have to wind in
such things into discourse. --Gov. of
Tongue.
5. To cover or surround with something coiled about; as, to
wind a rope with twine.
{To wind off}, to unwind; to uncoil.
{To wind out}, to extricate. [Obs.] --Clarendon.
{To wind up}.
(a) To coil into a ball or small compass, as a skein of
thread; to coil completely.
(b) To bring to a conclusion or settlement; as, to wind up
one's affairs; to wind up an argument.
(c) To put in a state of renewed or continued motion, as a
clock, a watch, etc., by winding the spring, or that
which carries the weight; hence, to prepare for
continued movement or action; to put in order anew.
``Fate seemed to wind him up for fourscore years.''
--Dryden. ``Thus they wound up his temper to a
pitch.'' --Atterbury.
(d) To tighten (the strings) of a musical instrument, so
as to tune it. ``Wind up the slackened strings of thy
lute.'' --Waller.