Word: winding Part of Speech: adj Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English winding, windinge, wyndynge (“directional change, curve, turn; bend of the leg at the knee; meandering course of a river; act of turning and twisting; twisting of things (especially thread) together; wrapping of a cloth around something; wattling of a structure; wattle(s); ornamentation with interwoven patterns; hoisting of something”) [and other forms], and then partly: * from winden, wynden (“to go, move; to move forcefully or suddenly; to direct, guide, lead; to go along a meandering or twisting course; to move in a circular pattern, revolve, turn; to move restlessly, toss and turn; to wriggle free; to move with a turning or twisting motion, bend, turn, twist; to form or mould (something) in one’s hands; to mix together; to cover; to clothe, dress; to wrap (a baby, a corpse, etc.); to encircle, surround; to bind; to interlace; to winch; (figurative) to conceal, disguise; to embroil, involve”) + -ing, -inge (suffix forming gerund nouns, and the present participle forms of verbs).; and * from Old English windung (“woven object”), from windan (“to twist, wind; to circle, curl, eddy, spiral”) (from Proto-Germanic *windaną (“to wind; to wrap”), from Proto-Indo-European *wendʰ- (“to turn; to wind”)) + -ung (suffix forming nouns denoting a verbal action or something involved in a verbal action). The adjective is derived from the verb. The English word is analysable as wind (“to turn coils of (a cord, etc.) around something; to encircle, enfold, entwist, wrap; to travel in a way that is not straight”) + -ing (suffix forming present participial adjectives and verbs, and nouns denoting an action or the embodiment of an action). Pronunciation: /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/ 1. Moving in a sinuous or twisting manner. Example: [H]e [Satan] vvindes himſelfe into this vvinding Beaſt, diſpoſing the Serpents tongue to ſpeake to the vvoman [Eve] […] Example: Let her forbeare / To taſt thoſe things that are forbidden there. / […] / The ſuck-egge VVeaſell, and the vvinding Svvallovv, / From theſe ſhe ſhall abſtaine, and not unhallovv / Her op'ned lips vvith their polluted fleſh; […] 2. Sinuous, turning, or twisting in form. Example: The thinges that hinder a man vvhich loketh at his marke, to ſhoote ſtreight, be theſe: […] a payre of windinge prickes, and many other thinges mo, which you ſhall marke yourſelfe, and as ye knovv them, ſo learne to amende them. Example: The Current that vvith gentle murmure glides / (Thou knovv'ſt) being ſtop'd, impatiently doth rage: / […] / And ſo by many vvinding nookes he ſtraies / VVith vvilling ſport to the vvilde Ocean. 3. Sinuous, turning, or twisting in form. Example: In yᵉ Cour aux Thuilleries is a princely fabriq; the winding geometrical stone stayres, with the cupola, I take to be as bold and noble a piece of architecture as any in Europ of the kind. Example: VVinding Stairs are projected on a round Profile, vvhoſe Diameter is equal to the Baſe the Stair-Caſe is to ſtand on, ſuppoſe ſix foot ſquare. […] If you dravv Lines from the Center through every one of the equal parts of into the Circumference, the ſpace betvveen every tvvo Lines vvill be the true Figure of a VVinding Step. 4. Of speech, writing, etc.: not direct or to the point; rambling, roundabout. Labels: figuratively Example: I will not heare thee, wife; / The winding laborinth of thy straunge discourse / Will nere haue end. Example: [A]ll vvriters are not of one and the ſame minde, as touching the very name and the firſt inhabitants of Britaine, and I feare me greatly, that no man is able to fetch out the truth, ſo deeply plunged vvithin the vvinding revolutions of ſo many ages, […] 5. Flexible, pliant. Labels: obsolete Example: To theſe blemiſhes and ſtaines in Court, vvere adjoyned the enormious tranſgreſſions of diſcipline in campe, vvhen the ſouldiour in ſtead of a joyfull ſhout, ſtudied to ſing vvanton ſonnets: neither had the armed man, as before time, a ſtone to couch himſelfe upon, but feathers and delicat vvinding beds: […] 6. Morally crooked; crafty, shifty. Labels: figuratively, obsolete Example: I care not though men call me impudent, / Smooth-tongu'd, audacious, petulant, abhominable, / Forger of vvords and lie, contentious Barretour, / Old, vvinding, bragging, teſty, crafty fox.