wing
/wi /
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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
- an addition that extends a main building
- a barrier that surrounds the wheels of a vehicle to block splashing water or mud
- in Britain they call a fender a wing
- the wing of a fowl
- he preferred the drumsticks to the wings
- 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
- (in flight formation) a position to the side and just to the rear of another aircraft
- a hockey player stationed in a forward position on either side
- the side of military or naval formation
- they attacked the enemy's right flank
- a unit of military aircraft
- a stage area out of sight of the audience
- one of the horizontal airfoils on either side of the fuselage of an airplane
- a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
Verb
- travel through the air; be airborne
- Man cannot fly