Definition

1. Noun:

   • A movable appendage used for flying: One of a pair of specialized limbs or organs that enable a bird, bat, or insect to fly.
   • A part of a building: A section of a building that extends from or is attached to a main or central part.
   • A part of an organization: A group or faction within a political party, organization, or military force that holds a distinct set of ideas or functions.
   • A part of an aircraft: A horizontal airfoil on either side of an aircraft's fuselage that provides lift.
   • A position in sports or formation: A player positioned on the far side of the field in sports like hockey or soccer; a position to the side in a military or flight formation.
   • A stage area: The area on either side of a theater stage, out of view of the audience.

2. Verb:

   • To travel by flying: To move through the air using wings.
   • To wound in the wing or arm: To shoot or strike someone in the wing (of a bird) or, informally, in the arm.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Flying Organ):

  • The bird broke its wing in the collision.
  • Butterflies have colorful wings.

• Noun (Building Part):

  • The hospital's new wing will open next month.
  • The library's east wing contains rare manuscripts.

• Noun (Organizational Group):

  • She is a member of the conservative wing of the party.
  • The radical wing of the movement advocated for more direct action.

• Noun (Aircraft Part):

  • The plane's wing was damaged during the storm.
  • Engineers inspected the left wing for ice.

• Noun (Sports/Military Position):

  • He plays on the right wing for the national team.
  • The general ordered the cavalry to protect the army's left wing.

• Noun (Theater):

  • The actors waited nervously in the wings before their entrance.

• Verb (To Fly):

  • The geese will wing their way south for the winter.
  • Rumors winged through the office.

• Verb (To Wound):

  • The hunter only winged the duck, and it flew away. (Informal: He was winged in the shoulder during the skirmish.)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "On the wing": In flight; flying.

  • We saw several eagles on the wing.

• "To take under one's wing": To take someone into one's care, protection, or guidance.

  • The senior professor took the new graduate student under her wing.

• "To clip someone's wings": To restrict someone's freedom or power.

  • The new regulations clipped the wings of the regulatory agency.

• "A wing and a prayer": Relying on hope and very little else for success.

  • With the engine failing, they landed the plane on a wing and a prayer.

Variants and Related Words

• Winged (adj): Having wings.
  • Winged insects.
• Wingless (adj): Without wings.
  • Some ant species are wingless.
• Winger (n): An attacking player on the wing in sports like soccer or hockey.
  • The team's star winger scored the winning goal.
• Wingman (n): A pilot who flies behind and to the side of the leading aircraft; (informally) a friend who supports or assists someone, especially in social situations.
  • He asked his best friend to be his wingman at the party.

Synonyms

• Noun (Flying Organ): Pinion, ala (technical).
• Noun (Building Part): Annex, extension, ell.
• Noun (Faction): Faction, branch, arm, camp, sector.
• Verb (To Fly): Fly, soar, glide.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• Wing it (informal verb phrase): To improvise or do something without preparation.
  • I didn't have time to prepare a speech, so I'll just have to wing it.

Related Idioms

• Spread one's wings: To begin to act independently; to try new things.
  • After college, she moved abroad to spread her wings.
• Wait in the wings: To be ready and available to do something, especially to take over a job or role.
  • Several younger executives are waiting in the wings for the CEO to retire.

Noun

1. an addition that extends a main building
2. a barrier that surrounds the wheels of a vehicle to block splashing water or mud
   • in Britain they call a fender a wing
3. the wing of a fowl
   • he preferred the drumsticks to the wings
4. a group within a political party or legislature or other organization that holds distinct views or has a particular function
   • they are the progressive wing of the Republican Party
5. (in flight formation) a position to the side and just to the rear of another aircraft
6. a hockey player stationed in a forward position on either side
7. the side of military or naval formation
   • they attacked the enemy's right flank
8. a unit of military aircraft
9. a stage area out of sight of the audience
10. one of the horizontal airfoils on either side of the fuselage of an airplane
11. a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

Verb

1. travel through the air; be airborne
   • Man cannot fly