Origin and history of wind

"air naturally in motion; a perceptible current of air from a particular direction;" Old English wind, from Proto-Germanic *winda-, from PIE *wē-nt-o‑ "blowing," suffixed (participial) form of root *we- "to blow."

Normal pronunciation evolution made this word rhyme with kind and rind (Donne rhymes it with mind and Thomas Moore with behind), but it shifted to a short vowel 18c., probably from influence of windy, where the short vowel is natural.

Symbolic of emptiness and vanity since c. 1200; from Middle English also of swiftness, transience, changeability.

I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind. [Ernest Dowson, 1896]

With suggestion of force, agency, influence also by c. 1200, from wind as the driving force of a vessel on water. As in winds of change, a phrase attested by 1905 but popularized in Harold Macmillan's 1960 South Africa speech. Other images are from winds as favorable or not for navigation. To take the wind out of (one's) sails in the figurative sense (by 1883) is an image from sailing, where a ship without wind can make no progress.

The meaning "breath in and out of the lungs" is attested from late Old English; especially "breath in speaking" (early 14c.); hence long-winded. It also meant "easy or regular breathing" (early 14c.), hence second wind in the figurative sense (by 1830), an image from the sport of hunting. The meaning "part of the abdomen where a blow causes temporary loss of breathing power" is by 1823 in pugilism slang (see wind (v.2)).

As "air contained in something" (as in windbag), from late Old English. By mid-14c. as "gas in the body," especially air in the digestive organs.

Winds "orchestral instruments that produce sound by streams of breath or air" is by 1876, from wind-instrument. Also compare windfall, windbreak, etc. An old word for a broad-brimmed hat was wind-cutter (1610s).

The figurative phrase which way the wind blows for "the current state of affairs" is suggested from mid-14c. (how þe wynd was went). To get wind of "receive information about" is by 1809, perhaps inspired by French avoir le vent de.

Wind-chill index, to measure the cooling factor of wind, is recorded from 1939. Wind energy is attested by 1976. Wind vane is from 1725. Wind-shear by 1951.

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, Dutch wind, Old Norse vindr, Old High German wind, German Wind, Gothic winds.

"move by turning and twisting," Middle English winden, from Old English windan "to turn, twist, plait, curl, brandish, swing" (class III strong verb; past tense wand, past participle wunden), from Proto-Germanic *windan "to wind," from PIE *wendh- "to turn, wind, weave" (source also of Latin viere "twist, plait, weave," vincire "bind;" Lithuanian vyti "twist, wind").

The verb wend is its causative form, and it is not always clear in Middle English which is meant. Also compare wander. The past tense and past participle merged in Middle English.

The meaning "to twine, entwine oneself around" is from 1590s; the transitive sense of "turn or twist round and round (on something) is from c. 1300. The meaning "set a watch, clockwork, etc. in operating mode by tightening its spring" is from c. 1600.

To wind down "come to a conclusion" is recorded from 1952; to wind up "come to a conclusion" is recorded from 1825; it was used earlier in a transitive sense of "put (affairs) in order in advance of a final settlement" (1780).

Of a corpse, "to enshroud" (c. 1300), hence winding sheet (n.), attested from early 15c.

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon windan, Old Norse vinda, Old Frisian winda, Dutch winden, Old High German wintan, German winden, Gothic windan "to wind."

mid-13c., winden, "expose to air or wind, toss in the wind;" by c. 1400, of animals, "perceive or follow by scent;" from wind (n.1).

By 1580s of horns, etc., "make sound by blowing air through, force wind through." As "cause to be out of breath" (through exertion), late 15c. The meaning "to tire, put out of breath; render temporarily breathless" is from 1802, originally in pugilism, in reference to the effect of a punch in the stomach. Related: Winded; winding.

"a turn, a bend, an act of winding round," 1825, from wind (v.1); earlier, "an apparatus for winding," early 14c., a sense perhaps from a North Sea Germanic word, such as Middle Dutch, Middle Low German winde "windlass."