The first “wind” is as in “I donned my wind-breaker because the weather was windy”. In this context, a “long-winded response” would be one in which the speaker had to inhale quite a bit to speak, a long wind!
The second “wind” is as in “I wound up the toy car and, when I released it, it zoomed all the way to the other side of the room”. In this context, a “long-winded response” is one that metaphorically winded the coils that make the speaker go.
The second “wind” is as in “I wound up the toy car and, when I released it, it zoomed all the way to the other side of the room”. In this context, a “long-winded response” is one that metaphorically winded the coils that make the speaker go.
The more primary meaning is this one (copied from Oxford Dictionary of English): move in or take a twisting or spiral course. The etymology of the verb 'wind' (also from ODE) is: Old English windan ‘go rapidly’, ‘twine’, of Germanic origin; related to wander and wend. Long-winded = the speaker's words/thoughts wander in circles for a long time.
The phrase "long-winded" could be reinterpreted as containing the non-standard past tense of the verb "to wind", "winded", and it would still make logical sense.
22 Comments
FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 30 pts · 238d
I see what you mean, but if I were to nitpik, I'd say the past tense participle of "wind" is "wound", not "winded".
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 16 pts · 238d
Thanks for pointing it out. I actually had the same question and…
Merriam-Webster says “wound” and “winded” are interchangeable: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind
klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol · 11 pts · 238d
... That makes me viscerally uncomfortable, and I'm going to be putting it into my daily vocabulary.
FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 237d
TIL
NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone · 2 pts · 237d
They should add winderised too if they’re going to do that. (sample usage: me, just now)
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 237d
Also, your username gave me flashbacks lol. I read it in Cuno's voice
FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 237d
Yea, think about that rabid Cuno shit
TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 238d
You sure about this?
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 238d
I was quite sure when I originally posted.
Then someone said it’s “wound” and not “winded”, but the dictionary said either is fine.
Then you asked me if I was sure. And now I’m not so sure.
TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 237d
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 238d
The first “wind” is as in “I donned my wind-breaker because the weather was windy”. In this context, a “long-winded response” would be one in which the speaker had to inhale quite a bit to speak, a long wind!
The second “wind” is as in “I wound up the toy car and, when I released it, it zoomed all the way to the other side of the room”. In this context, a “long-winded response” is one that metaphorically winded the coils that make the speaker go.
antonim@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 237d
The more primary meaning is this one (copied from Oxford Dictionary of English): move in or take a twisting or spiral course. The etymology of the verb 'wind' (also from ODE) is: Old English windan ‘go rapidly’, ‘twine’, of Germanic origin; related to wander and wend. Long-winded = the speaker's words/thoughts wander in circles for a long time.
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 236d
Love it. Thanks for the research and for sharing it!
lemmie689@lemmy.sdf.org · 9 pts · 238d
No need to get all wounded up, weather, it blows like the wind, or is winded like a clock.
GandalftheBlack@feddit.org · 5 pts · 236d
That's not what etymology is
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 236d
Fair enough. I was trying to think of another way of saying what I mean and I can’t think of a punchy way of saying it. Do you have one in mind?
GandalftheBlack@feddit.org · 3 pts · 236d
The phrase "long-winded" could be reinterpreted as containing the non-standard past tense of the verb "to wind", "winded", and it would still make logical sense.
Something like that.
FishFace@piefed.social · 5 pts · 236d
You don't mean "etymological sense"; only one of these is the correct etymology
snek_boi@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 236d
Fair enough. I can’t think of a punchy way of saying what I mean. Do you know what I mean? And how could I have said it?
FishFace@piefed.social · 2 pts · 236d
I'd just leave the word out! Or maybe "kind of". Or "semantic" is an option but I'm not sure about it.
DoubleDongle@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 237d
Wind as in the weather phenomenon.
FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 238d
It's pronounced "wind". Duh.
vatlark@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 230d
This is you standard high quality shower thought right here. I'm a big fan.