wing

[[t]wɪ̱ŋ[/t]]

♦♦

wings, winging, winged

1) N-COUNT The wings of a bird or insect are the two parts of its body that it uses for flying.

The bird flapped its wings furiously...

She saw the occasional glimmer of a moth's wings.

Derived words:

-winged COMB in ADJ

...black-winged birds.

2) N-COUNT The wings of an aeroplane are the long flat parts sticking out of its side which support it while it is flying.

Derived words:

-winged COMB in ADJ

...a wide-winged plane.

3) N-COUNT: usu with supp A wing of a building is a part of it which sticks out from the main part.

We were given an office in the empty west wing.

...in the Child Psychiatry wing of London's Royal Free Hospital.

4) N-COUNT: with supp, usu supp N A wing of an organization, especially a political organization, is a group within it which has a particular function or particular beliefs.

→ See also , right-wing

...the military wing of the African National Congress.

...the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.

Syn:

section

5) N-PLURAL: the N In a theatre, the wings are the sides of the stage which are hidden from the audience by curtains or scenery.

Most nights I watched the start of the play from the wings.

6) N-COUNT: usu supp N In a game such as soccer or hockey, the left wing and the right wing are the areas on the far left and the far right of the pitch. You can also refer to the players who play in these positions as the left wing and the right wing.

7) N-COUNT A wing of a car is a part of it on the outside which is over one of the wheels. [BRIT]

(in AM, use fender)

8) N-PLURAL: usu poss N When pilots get their wings, they become qualified to fly aeroplanes.

He had no sooner got his wings than the Korean conflict broke out.

9) VERB If you say that something or someone wings their way somewhere or wings somewhere, you mean that they go there quickly, especially by plane.

[V way adv/prep] A few moments later they were airborne and winging their way south...

[V way adv/prep] A bumper cash bonanza of ₤1.4bn will be winging its way to the 600,000 members of their pension scheme in the New Year...

[V adv/prep] The first of the airliners winged westwards and home.

10) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that something or someone clips your wings, you mean that they restrict your freedom to do what you want. [INFORMAL]

...legislation aimed at clipping the president's political wings.

11) PHRASE: usu v PHR If you say that someone is waiting in the wings, you mean that they are ready and waiting for an opportunity to take action.

There are now more than 20 big companies waiting in the wings to take over some of its business.

12) PHRASE: V inflects If you spread your wings, you do something new and rather difficult or move to a new place, because you feel more confident in your abilities than you used to and you want to gain wider experience.

I led a very confined life in my village so I suppose that I wanted to spread my wings.

13) PHRASE: V inflects If you take someone under your wing, you look after them, help them, and protect them.

Her boss took her under his wing after fully realising her potential.