Winding vbl. sb.¹

[f. WIND v.¹ + -ING¹.

  OE. had windung only in concr. sense, ‘plecta’ = Du. winding coil, convolution, OHG., early MHG. winting, winding ‘fascia,’ ‘fasciola,’ stocking, ON. vindingr hose.]

  I.  The action of WIND v.¹, or the resulting condition. (See also 10.)

  1.  Motion in a curve; turning this way and that in one’s course; sinuous progress or movement; † formerly also, revolution, rotation; undulating motion.

  In first quot. of doubtful meaning: ? = TROPIC sb. 1 a.

1387–8.  T. Usk, Test. Love, I. iii. (Skeat), l. 39. To travayle and see the wynding of the erthe in that tyme of winter.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. iii. (Add. MS. 27944). A ȝere is þe fulle cours and passinge and windinge aboute of þe sonne.

1530.  Palsgr., 289/1. Wyndyng, uolubilité.

1552.  Latimer, Serm., Luke xxi. (1562), 133. How he stretcheth out all his membres, what a winding is there, so that all his body commeth out of frame!

1573.  Baret, Alv., W 233. The windinges of serpentes.

1620.  Melton, Astrolog., 70. Birds, and Fowles, with their Motions, Chatterings, Croakings, Winding.

1623.  J. Taylor (Water P.), New Discov., C 2 b. For there hath he … vsed such a deale of intricate Setting, Grafting, Planting … turning, winding, and returning circular [etc.].

1679.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., ix. 151. These [stairs], because they sometimes wind, and sometimes fly off from that winding, take therefore the more room up in the Stair-Case.

1709.  T. Robinson, Vind. Mos. Syst., 101. These [Plants] … in their Windings, always follow the Motion of the Sun.

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 27. That graceful winding of person.

1770.  W. Gilpin, Wye (1782), 32. The winding of the river.

1834.  Newman, Par. Serm., I. xviii. 274. They wish to arrive at the heights of Mount Zion without winding round its base.

1844.  Kinglake, Eöthen, xii. With very little of devious winding, it [sc. Jordan] carries the shining waters of Galilee … into the solitudes of the Dead Sea.

1869.  Fitzwygram, Horses & Stables, § 931. Winding of the fore-foot is also very objectionable.

  b.  Naut. (see WIND v.¹ 8, 19 b, 22 g).

c. 1635.  Capt. N. Boteler, Dial. Sea Services (1685), Winding of a Ship.

1639.  (Oct. 18) Admir. Crt. Exam., 55 (P.R.O.). It being upon wyndeinge upp of the tide. [Cf. quot. 1691 s.v. WIND v.¹ 22 g.]

  2.  fig. Turning this way and that in thought or conduct; nearly always pl. devious or intricate motions, tortuous or crooked ways or dealings.

1621.  Burton, Anat. Mel., II. iii. III. 404. Hearts ease, I cannot compasse with all my carefull windings, & running in & out.

a. 1641.  Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., v. (1642), 395. The boughts and windings of a deceitfull heart.

1658–9.  Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 19. All this winding to me, in plainness, seems an aiming at no House.

a. 1672.  Barrow, Serm. Eph. v. 4, Wks. 1687, I. 195. The numberless rovings of fancy and windings of language.

1818.  Scott, Br. Lamm., xx. The subtle lawyer, accustomed … to trace human nature through all her windings.

a. 1859.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xxiii. V. 114. To trace all the windings of the negotiation would be tedious.

1870.  Disraeli, Lothair, l. We are friends and can speak without windings.

  † b.  Mus. A melodic alternation or variation.

1667.  C. Simpson, Compend. Pract. Mus., 85. These little windings and bindings with Discords and Imperfect Concords after them, do very much delight the Ear.

1674.  Playford, Skill Mus., I. 41. Those long windings and turnings of the Voyce are ill used.

1706.  A. Bedford, Temple Mus., iv. 75. Which he performs with various turnings and windings of the Voice.

  3.  Carpentry, etc. Condition of being twisted; chiefly in phr. out of winding = out of wind (WIND sb.² 3); in winding, twisted.

1711.  W. Sutherland, Shipbuild. Assist., 46. To make the side Lines and middle Lines of the Decks out of winding one with another.

1721.  J. Perry, Daggenham Breach, 60. Such Piles … could be brought by a straight Line … to meet in the middle of the Breach, and be out of winding,… in the same continued Line as first drove down.

1842.  Gwilt, Archit., § 1911. A stone is taken out of winding principally with points.

1880.  J. Lomas, Alkali Trade, 328. The tiles themselves must be of good quality—Dutch preferred—and of faultless ‘winding.’

  4.  The action of twining a flexible object round another or itself, esp. the coiling or twining of thread, silk, etc.; wrapping in a shroud (now dial.). With quot. c. 1386 cf. sense 8.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 343. The cost of … barrynge, owndynge,… wyndynge or bendynge.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 530 (Winch. MS.). Wyn[d]yng, or twynynge of threde, tortura,… uel torsura.

1463–4.  Rolls of Parlt., V. 503/2. Grete disceit, in wyndyng, foldyng, and makyng of Flecez of Wolle.

1552.  Huloet, Wyndynge of sylke, or thread.

1579.  Aldeburgh Rec., in N. & Q., 12th Ser. VII. 328/2. To myles harrisons wiffe and Ales gillion for wyndinge of mother Hue … vi^d.

1619.  in Foster, Engl. Factories India (1906), I. 116. Bengala silke … in cleare windinge.

c. 1796.  Burns, The Cardin’ o’t, 5.

1831–3.  Encycl. Metrop. (1845), VIII. 716/2. The winding requires the unwearied attention of children to mend the threads that break.

1834.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Steam Excurs. A vast deal of screwing, and tightening, and winding, and tuning, during which Mrs. Briggs expatiated to those near her on the immense difficulty of playing a guitar.

1844.  G. Dodd, Textile Manuf., i. 37. The process of ‘winding’ is that by which the weft is transferred from the bobbins to the shuttle.

1910.  S. P. Thompson, Life Ld. Kelvin, II. 754. The zigzag winding for alternators, associated usually with the name of Ferranti, he invented independently in 1881.

  b.  With advs. on, out, up; also attrib.

1825.  J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 421. Each spinner … fixes the end of the piece that is spun to a winding-up reel.

1835.  Ure, Philos. Manuf., 301. Till the stretch and winding-on were once more completed. Ibid. (1839), Dict. Arts, etc., 1110. A winding-on bobbin.

1844.  G. Dodd, Textile Manuf., ii. 63. The ‘winding-on room’ where the cloth is wound uniformly round a thick beam or roller preparatory to the printing.

1873.  E. Spon, Workshop Rec., Ser. I. 201/2. The spools for winding up and winding out should be of the same weight.

1883.  Yorksh. Textile Direct., 58. Patent Crabbing or Winding-on Machine.

1898.  P. Manson, Trop. Diseases, xxxiii. 517. A system of managing guinea worm cases which bids fair to … obviate the serious risks of the old winding out system.

  5.  Hoisting or hauling by means of a winch, windlass, or the like. Also with up.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 529. (Winch. MS.). Wyyndyng with wyndas, obvolucio. Ibid., 530. Wyndynge vp of thyngis þat bene heuy, euolucio.

c. 1575.  Ship Lawis, in Balfour’s Practicks (1754), 620. Gif ane tun or pype be tint in the winding or heising, in fault of the cordis.

1881.  Raymond, Mining Gloss., Winding, hoisting with a rope and drum.

1883.  Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, Winding, the operation of raising by means of a steam-engine, with ropes and cages, the produce of the mine.

  6.  Usually with up, of a clock or other mechanism: see WIND v.¹ 20 b, 22 e. Also fig.

1630.  J. Taylor (Water P.), World runs on Wheels, Wks. II. 234/1. The new found Instrument that goes by winding vp like a Iacke.

1728.  Young, Love Fame, I. 282. Is there a tongue, like Delia’s o’er her cup, That runs for ages without winding-up?

1737.  Gentl. Mag., Feb., 68/1. So that no Time is lost in winding.

1832.  Babbage, Econ. Manuf., v. (ed. 3), 38. The half minute which we daily devote to the winding-up of our watches.

1884.  St. James’s Gaz., 28 March, 6/1. The unfortunate thing about spirit-drinking is … that the drinker requires more and more ‘winding-up’ as he goes on.

  7.  Winding up: conclusion, finish (see WIND v.¹ 22 d); now usually, the bringing to an end the activities of a business concern; also attrib.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 64 b. How vnfortunate … hath bene the successe and wyndyng vp of commotioners [orig. seditiosorum exitus].

1570–6.  Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1596), 481. Crafty counseiles … be hard in the handeling, and wofull in the winding vp [orig. euentu tristia].

1576.  Fleming, trans. Caius’ Dogs (1880), 1. In the wynding vp of your Letter written and directed to Doctour Turner. Ibid., 44. The winding vp of this worke, called the Supplement, &c.

1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 879. If they would but expect the winding up of things, and stay till the last Close.

1705.  R. Cromwell, Lett., in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1898), XIII. 123. The winding up of your bottom will be more pleasing.

1782.  in Mme. D’Arblay’s Diary (1904), II. 97. My warm approbation of the whole work [‘Cecilia’] together:… the winding up beyond all compare, more happy, [etc.].

1809.  Malkin, Gil Blas, IV. vi. ¶ 15. She … detailed the progress of the plot to the winding up of the catastrophe.

1824.  Lady Granville, Lett. (1894), I. 271. The Hague season is nearly over, and a ball on Thursday is almost the winding up.

1834.  De Quincey, Autob. Sk., ix. Wks. 1853, I. 240. The year 1782 brought that war to its winding up.

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Winding-up Act.

1875.  Economist, 30 Jan., 131/2. The shareholders are asked to oppose the projected winding-up.

1895.  Times, 19 Jan., 15/6. A winding-up order having recently been made against this company.

  II.  That which winds or is wound.

  8.  An object that winds or is wound round; a coil or coiled object; † a curved, circular, or twining pattern, ornament, piece of material, etc.

c. 1050.  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 505/24. Plecta, windonge. [Cf. 471/1 Plectas, ʓewind.]

1356.  in Pipe Roll 32 Edw. III., m. 33/2 (P.R.O.). ij. Exeronges, xxiiij. Wyndynges, ij. naues, ij. lynces.

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Kings vii. 29. Betwix the litil crownes and wyndyngis, liouns, and oxen.

1486.  Nottingham Rec., III. 244. iij. wyndynges of iren aboute a ledder.

1555.  in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Mary (1914), 183. Wroughte with white partye payned barwyse wyndinge which was taken owte of the borders of hanginges.

1612.  T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 7. (1619), 151. Those who are alreadie clasped in the windings of this sinne.

c. 1633.  Milton, Arcades, 47. To nurse the Saplings tall, and curl the grove With Ringlets quaint, and wanton windings wove.

1699.  T. Baker, Refl. Learn., ix. 102. A Man must see the folds and windings of a knot before he can unty it.

1764.  J. Ferguson, Lect., iii. 43. The winch … must turn the cylinder once round before the weight or resistance … can be moved from one spiral winding to another.

a. 1825.  Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, s.v., In Suffolk the flannel, which is wound round a corpse, is called a winding.

  9.  A curved, sinuous or meandering line, path, passage, or the like; esp. pl. meanderings, twists and turns.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 9. Þis matir, as laborintus, Dedalus hous, haþ many … wyndynges and wrynkelynges. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R., XIII. vi. (1495), C v b/1. Tygris … passith in to y^e redde see after many turnynges & wyndynges.

1552.  Huloet, Wyndynges and turnynges, amfractus.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, V. v. I. 94. Berenice standeth upon the utmost winding and nouke of Syrtis.

1615.  Chapman, Odyss., IV. 1084. The wards, or windings of the key.

1631.  Widdowes, Nat. Philos., 50. A little skin in the lowest winding, or turning of the eare.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 9 June 1654. The Mount, to which we ascended by windings for neere halfe a mile.

1725.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 192. Fetching several compasses and windings.

1788.  Cowper, Dog & Water-Lily, 28. I … follow’d long the windings of the stream.

1801.  Southey, Thalaba, V. xxv. A loud shriek, That shook along the windings of the cave.

1847.  W. C. L. Martin, The Ox, 134/2. That action by which the aliments are carried through the windings of the intestinal canal.

1873.  Maxwell, Electr. & Magn., II. 277. The number of windings of the wire between any two small circles.

  10.  A flexible rod or withy (obs. or dial.); † esp. (collect. sing. or pl.) the rods or withies used in making or repairing walls; hence, the process involving their use.

1405–5.  Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 222. Cariantibus stramen ad tecturam, 2s. It. pro adquisicione de wyndyng, 15d. Ibid. (1474–5), 289. In le dalbyng et le wyndyng interclose wallez, sydewallez, gawellez.

1523–34.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 126. With the wyndynge of the edderynges thou doost leuse thy stakes.

1550.  Ludlow Churchw. Acc. (Camden), 44. Item, to John James for wyndynge and dawbynge ther … viij d.

1599.  Order Bk. Hartlebury Gram. School (1904), 24. It’m … for windinge and dawbinge of the church howse.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, XIII. iv. I. 387. To make windings to bind vines. Ibid., XXXV. xiv. II. 555. The manner of making walls, by dawbing windings and hurdles with mud and clay.

1649.  Order Bk. Hartlebury Gram. School (1904), 72. For poules for studds ease poules and windings and carriadge of them 0 6 0.

1674.  Ray, S. & E. C. Words, Vrith, Eththerings or windings of hedges.

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. xiv. (Roxb.), 19/2. Thatchers Termes…. Windings, twigs that will bend.

1852.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XIII. II. 281. Farmers find posts and rails cheaper … than the old system of ‘stake and rice.’ Note. Called ‘cock-guard’ in some parts; in others ‘winding.’

1887.  S. Chesh. Gloss., Weindins, the boughs which are interwoven with the stakes used to shore up the bank of a stream.

  III.  11. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 4) winding † blade (BLADE sb. 10 c), -loft, -machine, machinery, master, room, † stool (STOOL sb. 6); (sense 5, esp. in nautical and mining use) winding accident, † baly (app. = BAIL sb.,⁵ bucket), engine (-engineman), -gear, † hawser, hour, † iron, pit, † -pulley, -rope, shaft, tackle, time, wheel; (sense 6) winding button, hole, pinion, square, wheel; † winding band [BAND sb.² 5], a bandage; winding sticks, strips, two equal pieces of wood with straight parallel edges used to determine whether a surface is true (cf. 3).

1895.  Cath. News, 14 Sept., 3. Two terrible *winding accidents occurred in mines in Rhondda Valley.

1336.  Acc. Exch. K. R., 19/31 m. 5 (P.R.O.). In .ij. *Wyndi[n]gbalies emptis ad eandem [galeam]…. Et in ij petris corde de canabo emptis pro Wyndyngrop.

1582.  N. T. (Rhem.), John xi. 44. Bound feete and handes with *winding bandes.

1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 262/2. Fascia,… a swathing cloth or winding band to … tye vp wounds.

1530.  Palsgr., 184. Vnes tournettes, a payre of *wyndynge blades to wynde yarne upon.

1881.  Britten, Watch & Clockm., 71. A contrate wheel squared on to the stem of the *winding button.

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Winding-engine, an engine for drawing up buckets, etc. from a well or shaft.

1875.  Knight, Dict. Mech., Winding-engine,… a hoisting steam-engine.

1883.  Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, Winding Engine.

1904.  Daily Chron., 23 April, 6/4. A terrible calamity was averted at the Navigation Colliery … by the heroism … of the *winding engineman.

1875.  Knight, Dict. Mech., *Winding-gear, an English term for the winding-machine for mines.

1417.  in For. Acc. 8 Hen. V., D/2 (P.R.O.). j *Wyndyng hauncer.

1485.  Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 36. Smalle Warps,… Hawsers,… Wyndyng hausers.

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. xx. (Roxb.), 240/1. On[e] thick gut string, which is played upon with a long Bow or Base Viol stick at the head of it a little below the *winding hole.

1893.  Daily News, 4 May, 2/1. In South Wales the winding hours were 9¹/₂ to 10 hours on four days in the week.

1420.  in For. Acc. 3 Hen. VI., F/2 dorso (P.R.O.). *Wyndyng [i]rone.

1846.  G. Dodd, Brit. Manuf., Ser. VI. 197. The tarred haul then passes into the *‘winding-loft,’ where it is wound … upon bobbins.

1825.  J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 422. The two *winding-machines may also be driven by the endless rope.

1855.  Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 248. Disarrangement of the *winding machinery.

1881.  Instr. Census Clerks (1885), 68. Cotton Mill:… Winding Room…. *Winding Master.

1885.  C. G. W. Lock, Workshop Rec., Ser. IV. 337/1. Examine the *winding-pinion depth, to see that it is neither too deep nor shallow.

1417.  in For. Acc. 8 Hen. V., D/1 dorso (P.R.O.). j Ketille j Fane et *Wyndyngpoley.

1890.  W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 165. The *winding room, where the women sit some twenty deep in rank after rank by the side of the benches.

1913.  Times, 7 Aug., 4/4. David Langley, the cheif operator,… denied that he ever smoked in the ‘winding’ or operating rooms.

1336.  *Wyndyngrop [see winding-baly].

1424.  For. Acc. 59 m. 22 dorso (P.R.O.). j hausere pro wyndyngrope.

1883.  Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, Winding Ropes, the ropes by which a cage, chair,… &c., are raised and lowered in a pit-shaft. Ibid., *Winding Shaft or Pit, the pit-shaft used chiefly for winding purposes.

1884.  Britten, Watch & Clockm., 35. During the going of the clock the shutter … stood in front of the *winding square.

1823.  P. Nicholson, Pract. Builder, 255. *Winding Sticks are always used in pairs.

1530.  Palsgr., 289/1. *Wyndyng stole, tournette.

a. 1625.  Manwayring, Sea-man’s Dict., s.v., The *winding tackle is thus fitted: a great double block with three shivers in it, which is fast seized to the end of a small cable, which is brought about the head of the mast and so serves for a pendant [etc.].

c. 1635.  Capt. N. Boteler, Dial. Sea Services (1685), 116. Winding Tackle blocks.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Winding-tackle pendant, a strong rope made fast to the lower mast-head, and forming the support of the winding-tackle.

1908.  Daily Chron., 10 Dec., 5/7. Both *winding times are to be excluded from the calculation of eight hours.

1675.  in Jeaffreson, Middx. County Rec. (1892), IV. 61. Unam rotam Harpedon anglice vocatam a *winding wheele.

1884.  Britten, Watch & Clockm., 240. The operation of throwing the winding wheels out of action.