3 VERB If you win something such as a prize or medal, you get it because you have defeated everyone else in something such as an election, competition, battle, or argument, or have done very well in it. □ [V n] The first correct entry wins the prize. □ [V n] She won bronze for Great Britain in the European Championships.
4 VERB If you win something that you want or need, you succeed in getting it. □ [V n] …moves to win the support of the poor. □ [V n] British Aerospace has won an order worth 340 million dollars.
5 VERB If something wins you a prize or wins you something else that you want, it causes you to get it. □ [V n n] The feat won them a prize of £85,000.
6 → see also winning
7 to lose the battle but win the war → see battle
8 to win the day → see day
9 to win hands down → see hand ➊
▸ win back PHRASAL VERB If you win back something that you have lost, you get it again, especially as a result of a great effort. □ [V P n] The Government will have to work hard to win back the confidence of the people. □ [V n P ] So he went and filed a suit and won his job back.
▸ win out or win through PHRASAL VERB If something or someone wins out or wins through , they are successful after a competition or struggle. □ [V P ] Sometimes perseverance does win out.
▸ win over in BRIT, also use win round PHRASAL VERB If you win someone over or win them round , you persuade them to support you or agree with you. □ [V P n] He has won over a significant number of the left-wing deputies. □ [V n P ] They still hope to win him round.
▸ win round → see win over
▸ win through → see win out
wince /w I ns/ (winces , wincing , winced ) VERB If you wince , the muscles of your face tighten suddenly because you have felt a pain or because you have just seen, heard, or remembered something unpleasant. □ [V ] Every time he put any weight on his left leg, he winced in pain. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Wince is also a noun. □ He suppressed a wince as motion renewed the pain.
winch /w I ntʃ/ (winches , winching , winched )
1 N‑COUNT A winch is a machine which is used to lift heavy objects or people who need to be rescued. It consists of a drum around which a rope or chain is wound.
2 VERB If you winch an object or person somewhere, you lift or lower them using a winch. □ [V n with adv/prep] He would attach a cable around the chassis of the car and winch it up on to the canal bank.
wind
➊ AIR
➋ TURNING OR WRAPPING
➊ wind ◆◆◇ /w I nd/ (winds , winding , winded )
→ Please look at category 14 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 N‑VAR A wind is a current of air that is moving across the earth's surface. □ There was a strong wind blowing. □ The leaves rustled in the wind.
2 N‑COUNT Journalists often refer to a trend or factor that influences events as a wind of a particular kind. □ [+ of ] The winds of change are blowing across the country.
3 VERB If you are winded by something such as a blow, the air is suddenly knocked out of your lungs so that you have difficulty breathing for a short time. □ [be V -ed] He was winded and shaken. □ [V n] The cow stamped on his side, winding him.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Wind is the air that you sometimes swallow with food or drink, or gas that is produced in your intestines, which causes an uncomfortable feeling.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] The wind section of an orchestra or band is the group of people who produce musical sounds by blowing into their instruments.
6 PHRASE If someone breaks wind , they release gas from their intestines through their anus.
7 PHRASE If you get wind of something, you hear about it, especially when someone else did not want you to know about it. [INFORMAL ] □ I don't want the public, and especially not the press, to get wind of it at this stage.
8 PHRASE If you sail close to the wind , you take a risk by doing or saying something that may get you into trouble. □ Max warned her she was sailing dangerously close to the wind and risked prosecution.
9 to throw caution to the wind → see caution
➋ wind ◆◆◇ /wa I nd/ (winds , winding , wound )
1 VERB If a road, river, or line of people winds in a particular direction, it goes in that direction with a lot of bends or twists in it. □ [V prep/adv] The Moselle winds through some 160 miles of tranquil countryside. □ [V n prep/adv] The procession wound its way downhill. □ [V -ing] …a narrow winding road.
2 VERB When you wind something flexible around something else, you wrap it around it several times. □ [V n prep/adv] The horse jumped forwards and round her, winding the rope round her waist.
3 VERB When you wind a mechanical device, for example a watch or a clock, you turn a knob, key, or handle on it several times in order to make it operate. □ [V n] I still hadn't wound my watch so I didn't know the time. ● PHRASAL VERB Wind up means the same as wind . □ [V P n] I wound up the watch and listened to it tick. □ [V n P ] Frances took the tiny music box from her trunk and wound it up.
4 VERB To wind a tape or film back or forward means to make it move towards its starting or ending position. □ [V n adv] Now wind the film forward to what will happen if the next government doesn't solve the problem.