wing Hear it!

wing Definition

wing (wiŋ)

noun

    1. either of the two feathered forelimbs of a bird, fully developed for flying, as in most birds, or insufficiently developed for flight and used for balance in running, etc., as in chickens or ostriches, or for swimming, as in penguins or some ducks
    2. either of the paired organs of flight of a bat, the lifting surface of which is formed by the membranous skin connecting the long, modified digits
    3. either of the paired organs of flight of an insect, light membranous structures that are lateral outgrowths of the thorax supported by a network of veins
    4. any of various winglike structures used by certain animals for gliding movements, as the patagium of flying squirrels or the enlarged pectoral fins of flyingfish
  2. in art, mythology, etc., either of a pair of winglike structures associated with or attributed to gods, angels, demons, dragons, etc., or used as a symbol of speed or the like
  3. something used as or like a wing; esp.,
    1. a (or the) main lateral airfoil of an airplane
    2. either of the inflatable pouches of a pair of water wings
  4. something resembling a wing in position or in relation to the main part; esp.,
    1. a part, extension, or annex of a building, with reference to its location at a side of the main part or its specialized use the east wing, the surgical wing of a hospital
    2. an outlying area, as of an estate
    3. either of the two side extensions of the back of a wing chair
    4. either part of a double door, screen, etc.
    5. any of the sidepieces used in stage scenery; also, either side of the stage out of sight of the audience
    6. any winglike anatomical or botanical part, as on some leafstalks or seeds; ala
    7. a vane, as of a windmill
    8. Brit. fender (sense )
  5. a group of persons having a winglike relation to another group or to the entire body; specif.,
    1. the section of an army, fleet, etc. to the right (or left) of the center
    2. a section or faction, as of a political party, with reference to its radicalism or conservatism
    3. an organization affiliated with or subsidiary to a parent organization
    1. in hockey and certain other goal games, a position played forward and right (or left) of center
    2. the player at such a position
    1. any of various units in an air force; specif., in the U.S. Air Force, a unit smaller than a division and larger than an air group
    2. the insignia worn by pilot and crew of an aircraft, esp. a military aircraft
  8. the act of flying, or a means or manner of flying: now chiefly in give wing to and take wing (see phrases below)
  9. anything represented as flying or soaring, or as carrying one to soaring heights of rapture, joy, etc. on wings of song
  10. Slang
    1. a person's arm
    2. ☆ Baseball a pitcher's throwing arm

Etymology: ME winge, weng < ON vaengr (for IE base see wind): the word replaced OE fether, wing, feather

transitive verb

  1. to provide with wings
    1. to cause to fly or speed as on wings to wing an arrow at a target
    2. to make (one's way) by flying
    3. to pass through or over by or as if by flying
  3. to transport by or as by flight
  4. to wound, as with a bullet, in the wing, arm, etc.

intransitive verb

to go swiftly on or as on wings; fly

wing Related Forms
wing′·less adjective
wing Idioms

give wing to

or give wings to

to enable to fly or soar on or as if on wings

on the wing

  1. flying, or while in flight
  2. in motion or while moving or traveling

take wing

  1. to take flight; fly away
  2. to become joyous, jubilant, or enraptured

under one's wing

under one's protection, patronage, etc.

waiting in the wings

Etymology: see wing, )

  1. standing offstage and ready to make an entrance
  2. ready to enter a situation, be brought to public attention, or undertake a role, position, etc.

wing it

☆

Informal to act, speak, etc. with little or no planning or preparation; improvise

wing Synonyms

wing

n.

  1. An organ or instrument of flight

    appendage, pinion, elytron, aileron, airfoil; see also feather.

  2. An architectural unit or extension

    annex, ell, addition, projection, hall, section, division, part.

  3. An organized group of aircraft

    flying unit, flight, flying squad, formation, air squadron; see also unit 1.

  4. Outer portions of a line in sports or war

    right wing, left wing, end of the line, end, extension, flank, side, segment.

  5. Entrance to the stage: usually plural

    offstage, backstage, behind-stage, back, flats, green room.

  6. *A pitching arm

    soup bone*, glass arm*, heave machinery*; see arm 2.

on the wing

going, leaving, progressing; see flying.

take wing

go, depart, run off; see leave 1.

take under one's wing

favor, help, guarantee; see adopt 2.

wing* Synonyms

wing*

v.

wound, injure, bring down; see hurt 1.

wing Usage Examples

Preposition: like

  • eagle: For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Converse of object

  • sprout: Many victims develop an unhealthy relationship to birds: they sprout wings, or cultivate other, less attractive avian characteristics.
  • feather: My new toy is so close to an angel aside, the feathered wings.
  • sweep: A possible extension of the method to the case of a flap on a swept wing is also included.

Adjective modifier

  • left: Four parallel vertical grooves on bottom left wing; 3 parallel oblique grooves on right wing.
  • rear: This is the rear wing in filler during a trial fit onto the body.
  • east: He converted its east wing into a private museum for his collection.
  • starboard: The object at the bottom left is the trailing edge of the starboard wing.
  • west: The chapel, in the west wing, is plainly fitted up.

Modifies a noun

  • chun: I always thought " Yes, this is why I like the wing chun system.
  • feather: The wing feathers have rounded ends, whereas the other figure's wing feathers are open ended.
  • span: THE GANNET is Britain's largest seabird with a wing span of just under two meters.
  • mirror: You cannot assume, for example, that a fingerprint on an outside wing mirror is evidence of taking a motor vehicle.
  • extremist: Still it's nice to have extreme stories and tales to exchange about global company's being secretly run by right wing extremists.

Noun used with modifier

  • chicken: That advance was soon followed by " chicken wings " and the food to weight ratio reduced to previously unforeseen levels.
  • opportunist: The opportunist wing of the old LSSP rebelled, leading to a de facto split.
  • butterfly: They cross over at the ridge of the roof pitch to form canopies resembling butterfly wings.
  • fairy: Yes, the fairy wings I brought were 3 inches big!
  • angel: My neighbor tried the same thing and her 2 of her 10 geese developed angel wing.
  • fore: Among day-flying Lepidoptera, the more gaudy colors are usually on the fore wings.
wing Quotes

After the kingfisher's wing Has answered light to light, and is silent, the light is still At the still point of the turning world.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

My life has crept so long on a broken wing Through cells of madness, haunts of horror and fear, That I come to be grateful at last for a little thing.

—Tennyson

Our Meistersinger, thou set breath in steel; And it was thou who on the boldest heel Stood up and flung the span on even wing Of that great Bridge, our Myth, whereof I sing.

—Crane, (Harold) Hart

   The insect youth are on the wing, Eager to taste the honeyed spring, And float amid the liquid noon: Some lightly o'er the current skim, Some show their gaily-gilded trim Quick-glancing to the sun.

—Gray,Thomas

The year's at the spring, And days at the morn; Morning's at seven; The hill-side's dew-pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn; God's in His heavenö All's right with the world.

—Browning, Robert

Harold Macmillan held his party together by not allowing his left wing to see what his right wing was doing.

—Baroness

Musing on roses and revolutions, I saw night close down on the earth like a great dark wing.

—Randall, Dudley

Thou art a beaten dog beneath the hail, A swollen magpie in a fitful sun, Half black half white Nor knowst'ou wing from tail Pull down thy vanity.

—Pound, Ezra Loomis

And shade is on the brightest wing, And dust forbids the birds to sing.

—Sitwell, Dame Edith Louisa

Dead echoes! But I knew her body there, Time like a serpent down her shoulder, dark, And space, an eaglet's wing, laid on her hair.

—Crane, (Harold) Hart

Now air is hushed, save where the weak-eyed bat With short shrill shriek flits by on leathern wing, Or where the beetle winds His small but sullen horn, As oft he rises midst the twilight path, Against the pilgrim borne in heedless hum.

—Collins,William

Four ducks on a pond, A grass-bank beyond, A blue sky of spring, White clouds on the wing; What a little thing To remember for yearsö To remember with tears!

—Allingham,William

Comin' in on a wing and a prayer.

—Adamson, Harold

What is the odds so long as the fire of soul is kindled at the taper of conwiviality, and the wing of friendship never moults a feather!

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine.

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

   The wing trails like a banner in defeat, No more to use the sky forever but live with famine And pain a few days. 436

—Jeffers, (John) Robinson

The awful shadow of some unseen Power Floats though unseen among us,övisiting This various world with as inconstant wing As summer winds that creep from flower to flower.

—Shelley, Percy Bysshe