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Wind up   /wɪnd əp/   Listen
verb
Wind  v. t.  (past & past part. wound, rarely winded; pres. part. winding)  
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."
2.
To entwist; to infold; to encircle. "Sleep, and I will wind thee in arms."
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." "In his terms so he would him wind." "Gifts blind the wise, and bribes do please And wind all other witnesses." "Were our legislature vested in the prince, he might wind and turn our constitution at his pleasure."
4.
To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate. "You have contrived... to wind Yourself into a power tyrannical." "Little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse."
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.)
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." "Thus they wound up his temper to a pitch."
(d)
To tighten (the strings) of a musical instrument, so as to tune it. "Wind up the slackened strings of thy lute."






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Wind up" Quotes from Famous Books



... what do I see—one police officer leaving the front door and another sunning himself in the vestibule. How many more of you are within I do not presume to ask. Some half-dozen, no doubt, and not one of you smart enough to wind up this matter and have ...
— The Filigree Ball • Anna Katharine Green

... popular representation, which, in a measure, proved the commencement of the great Revolution. And there too, in 1822, Felix Neff preached to large congregations, who were so anxious and attentive that he always after spoke of the place as his "dear Vizille;" and now, to wind up the vicissitudes of the great hall, it is used as a place for the printing ...
— The Huguenots in France • Samuel Smiles

... of the ambulance was a corporal of the R.A.M.C., and he had the "wind up," that is, he had an aversion ...
— Over The Top • Arthur Guy Empey

... entertainment will wind up with a dialogue between Arthur (JONES) and Hubert (HERKOMER), of which we give an extract. It represents Arthur as wishing to produce a piece, which Hubert forewarns him will be a failure unless he (HUBERT) paints the ...
— Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 102, February 6, 1892 • Various

... a wheel-work to wind up, And be discharged, and straight wound up anew? No! grown, his growth lasts; taught, he ne'er forgets: May learn a thousand things, ...
— Familiar Quotations • John Bartlett


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