wounds

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of wound.

   The nurse dressed the patient's wounds before sending him home.

   Old emotional wounds resurfaced during the difficult conversation.

   Note

   This spelling can belong to only one of the two words written wound. The wound that serves as the past tense of wind never takes an -s, so wounds always means injuries. The plural covers bodily harm, such as cuts, stabs and tears, and it also covers figurative hurts to feelings, reputation or prospects. A nurse dresses wounds, and a bitter quarrel can leave wounds that never show.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of wound.

   Careless criticism wounds even the most confident performer.

   The serrated blade wounds anyone who grips it without gloves.

   Note

   Here the verb that injures appears in its present-tense, third-person form, and it always needs an object: a stray branch wounds a hiker, or a cold reply wounds a friend. Like the plural noun, it never belongs to the past tense of wind. The literal sense, piercing or tearing the skin, and the figurative hurt to feelings share this one form. The object usually tells you which is meant.

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