wind up

Formswinds up, winding up, wound up

1. 1
   finally landphrasal verbintransitive

   To be in a place or situation at the end of something.

   She never planned to be a teacher, but she wound up loving the job.

   If you don't study, you could wind up taking the class again.

   Similarland, finish

   Note
2. 2
   finishphrasal verbtransitive

   To finish something or bring it to an end.

   The teacher wound up the lesson with a fun game.

   We need to wind up this project before the holidays.

   Similarfinish, end, conclude, complete, finalize

   Oppositestart (entry), begin, open

   Note
3. 3
   turn the keyphrasal verbtransitive

   To turn a key or knob on a clock, watch, or toy so it keeps working.

   She wound up the music box, and it began to play.

   Wind the toy up and watch it walk across the floor.

   Note
4. 4
   excitephrasal verbfigurativelytransitive

   To make someone excited.

   Sugar and loud music wound the children up all afternoon.

   The cheering crowd will wind up the young players before the game.

   Similarexcite, stimulate, rouse, animate

   Oppositecalm, soothe, settle

5. 5
   irritatephrasal verbfigurativelytransitive

   To make someone angry or upset.

   It really winds me up when people are late.

   The long wait at the airport started to wind up even the calmest travelers.

   Similarannoy, irritate, bug, irk, aggravate

   Oppositecalm, soothe, placate

6. 6
   clockworkadjective · wind-up

   Describing a toy or machine that you have to wind up to make it work.

   The baby laughed at the wind-up duck as it waddled across the table.

   My grandfather still uses a wind-up alarm clock.

   Similarclockwork

   Note
7. 7
   raise by handlephrasal verbtransitive

   To raise something, like a car window, by turning a handle.

   He wound up the car window when it got cold.

   We took turns winding up the heavy bucket from the well.

   Similarraise

   Oppositelower

8. 8
   coil ropephrasal verbtransitive

   To wind something, like rope or string, all the way.

   Wind up the garden hose when you're done watering.

   She wound the yarn up into a neat ball.

   Similarcoil, reel, roll, spool

   Oppositeunwind, unspool

   Note
9. 9
   pitcher's swingnoun · wind-upcountable

   In baseball, the moment when the pitcher pulls the arm back before throwing.

   The pitcher began his wind-up, and the crowd went quiet.

   Some pitchers have very short wind-ups.

   Note
10. 10
    draw arm backphrasal verbintransitive

    In baseball, to move your arm and body back to get ready to throw a certain kind of pitch.

    The pitcher wound up and threw a fastball right past the batter.

    Pitchers usually wind up only when no runners are on base.

    Note

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