frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

eye of) the wind; near the wind Because 'Syrena' was a sloop,
she could sail closer on the wind than the schooner. 11 put the
wind up. scare, frighten, alarm: The leakage at the nuclear
plant really put the wind up everyone living in the area. 12
sail close or near to the wind. take risks, throw caution to the
winds, play with fire, skate on thin ice, take (one's) life in
(one's) hands, Colloq stick (one's) neck out, Slang go for
broke: One nude scene is highly salacious, and we think the
director is sailing very close to the wind by including it. 13
take the wind out of (someone's) sails. deflate (someone),
disconcert (someone), destroy (someone's) advantage, ruin
(someone's) superiority or supremacy or ascendancy: It rather
took the wind out of her sails when he announced that he was
leaving anyway.
windý v. 1 turn, bend, twist, snake, worm, twine, zigzag, slew,
swerve, loop, coil, curve, meander, ramble, veer: The river
winds along the valley floor. 2 reel, roll, spiral, turn,
twist, curl, coil, wrap, twine, wreathe; crank (up), wind up:
The streamers are wound around the columns for decoration. 3
wind down. a taper off, slow down, diminish, reduce, close out,
slacken or slack off (on), ease (up on), decrease, cut back or
down (on); wind up: They were going to wind down their
sportswear department, but then business suddenly perked up. b
relax, become calm or tranquil, calm down, cool off or down,
regain (one's) equilibrium, ease up or off, Colloq unwind, let
(one's) hair down, take it easy: It takes me a couple of days
to wind down from the hectic activity in the office. 4 wind up.
a terminate, conclude, come or bring to an end or a close or a
conclusion, end (up), close down or up, finish (up), wrap up;
liquidate, settle: After calmly winding up his affairs, Evan
sailed off in his boat and was never seen again. b end up,
finish (up), become ultimately: I understand that Sally wound
up as a bar girl in Tampico. c excite, innervate, energize,
stimulate, invigorate, stir up: After getting us all wound up
about that weekend party in Paris, she called the whole thing
off. d agitate, fluster, disconcert, ruffle: Don't let such
trifles get you so wound up. e See 3 (a), above.
windfall n. bonanza, godsend, stroke of (good) fortune, serendipitous
find, boon, piece of (good) luck, jackpot, (lucky) strike: The
sale of the house provided a windfall that saved them from
imminent bankruptcy.