wintering

Pluralwinterings

1. 1
   nouncountable

   The act of remaining in one location throughout the winter.

   The expedition's first wintering on the ice shelf tested the patience of every member of the crew.

   After three winterings in the Arctic, the captain knew exactly how much coal the ship would need before the spring thaw.

   Note

   A word at home in the history of polar exploration, where a wintering is a countable event that can be dated, numbered and set beside others. William J. Mills's Exploring Polar Frontiers (2003) tallies winterings by year, one of them ending in the death of a seven-man party. Because it names an entire season endured in one place, it pairs naturally with first, second or a number. It is never used for a brief winter visit.

2. 2
   verb

   Present participle of winter.

   The fishing boats are wintering in the sheltered harbor until spring.

   Many retirees enjoy wintering in warmer climates each year.

   Note

   A verb form with two jobs, because winter is two verbs. Without an object, it takes a place: geese wintering on the marsh, retirees wintering in warmer climates. With an object, it means keeping something safe from the cold through the season, usually livestock: wintering sheep in a barn. The same spelling also serves as a noun, a whole winter spent in one place.

   The farmer is wintering his sheep in the lower barn this year.

   Wintering cattle indoors keeps them out of the worst of the frost.

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