ic·y ( º"s¶) adj. ic·i·er ic·i·est 1. Containing or covered with ice: an icy road. 2. Bitterly cold; freezing: an icy day. See note at cold . 3. a. Resembling ice: icy fingers. b. Chilling in manner: an icy smile; icy detachment. ic "i·ly adv. ic "i·ness n.

wind 1 ( w¹nd) n. 1. a. Moving air, especially a natural and perceptible movement of air parallel to or along the ground. b. A movement of air generated artificially, as by bellows or a fan. 2. a. The direction from which a movement of air comes: The wind is north-northwest. b. A movement of air coming from one of the four cardinal points of the compass: the four winds. 3. Moving air carrying sound, an odor, or a scent. 4. a. Breath, especially normal or adequate breathing; respiration: had the wind knocked out of them. b. Gas produced in the stomach or intestines during digestion; flatulence. 5. Often winds Music a. The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or an orchestra. b. Wind instruments or their players considered as a group. 6. a. Something that disrupts or destroys: the winds of war. b. A tendency; a trend: the winds of change. 7. Information, especially of something concealed; intimation: Trouble will ensue if wind of this scandal gets out. 8. a. Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage. b. Futile or idle labor or thought. v. tr. wind·ed wind·ing winds 1. To expose to free movement of air; ventilate or dry. 2. a. To detect the smell of; catch a scent of. b. To pursue by following a scent. 3. To cause to be out of or short of breath. 4. To afford a recovery of breath: stopped to wind and water the horses.

Idioms: before the wind Nautical 1. In the same direction as the wind. close to the wind Nautical 1. As close as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing. in the wind 1. Likely to occur; in the offing: Big changes are in the wind. near the wind 1. Nautical Close to the wind. 2. Close to danger. off the wind Nautical 1. In a direction away from the wind. on the wind or into the wind or down the wind 1. Nautical In the same or nearly the same direction as the wind. under the wind 1. Nautical To the leeward. 2. In a location protected from the wind. up the wind Nautical 1. In a direction opposite or nearly opposite the wind. [Middle English from Old English wind; See w ¶- in Indo-European Roots.]

wind 2 ( wºnd) v. wound ( wound) wind·ing winds v. tr. 1. To wrap (something) around a center or another object once or repeatedly: wind string around a spool. 2. To wrap or encircle (an object) in a series of coils; entwine: wound her injured leg with a bandage; wound the waist of the gown with lace and ribbons. 3. a. To go along (a curving or twisting course): wind a path through the mountains. b. To proceed on (one's way) with a curving or twisting course. 4. To introduce in a disguised or devious manner; insinuate: He wound a plea for money into his letter. 5. To turn (a crank, for example) in a series of circular motions. 6. a. To coil the spring of (a mechanism) by turning a stem or cord, for example: wind a watch. b. To coil (thread, for example), as onto a spool or into a ball. c. To remove or unwind (thread, for example), as from a spool: wound the line off the reel. 7. To lift or haul by means of a windlass or winch: Wind the pail to the top of the well. v. intr. 1. To move in or have a curving or twisting course: a river winding through a valley. 2. a. To move in or have a spiral or circular course: a column of smoke winding into the sky. b. To be coiled or spiraled: The vine wound about the trellis. 3. To be twisted or whorled into curved forms. 4. To proceed misleadingly or insidiously in discourse or conduct. 5. To become wound: a clock that winds with difficulty. n. 1. The act of winding. 2. A single turn, twist, or curve.

Phrasal Verbs: wind down Informal 1. To diminish gradually in energy, intensity, or scope: The party wound down as guests began to leave. 2. To relax; unwind. wind up 1. To come or bring to a finish; end: when the meeting wound up; wind up a project. 2. To put in order; settle: wound up her affairs before leaving the country. 3. Informal To arrive in a place or situation after or because of a course of action: took a long walk and wound up at the edge of town; overspent and wound up in debt. 4. Baseball To swing back the arm and raise the foot in preparation for pitching the ball. [Middle English winden from Old English windan]

wind 3 ( wºnd, w ¹nd) v. tr. wind·ed ( wºn"d¹d, w ¹n"-) or wound ( wound) wind·ing winds Music 1. To blow (a wind instrument). 2. To sound by blowing. [From wind 1 ] wind "er n.

w ¶-. Important derivatives are: weather wind 1 window vent ventilate wing nirvana To blow. I. Contracted from *we …-; oldest basic form * …w¶- ( < * …we…-). 1. Suffixed irregular shortened form *we-dhro- . WEATHER , from Old English weder , weather, storm, wind, from Germanic *wedram wind, weather. 2. Suffixed (participial) form *w ¶-nt-o-, blowing. a. (i) WIND 1 , from Old English wind , wind; (ii) WINDOW , from Old Norse vindr , wind. Both (i) and (ii) from Germanic *windaz ; b. VENT 1 , VENTAIL , VENTILATE , from Latin ventus , wind. 3. WING , from Middle English wenge , wing, from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse vængr , wing, from suffixed Germanic form *w ¶-ingjaz. 4. Basic form *w ¶-. NIRVANA , from Sanskrit v ³ti (stem *v ³-), it blows. [ Pokorny 10. a ø(¶)- 81. ]

scep·ter ( sµp"t…r) n. 1. A staff held by a sovereign as an emblem of authority. 2. Ruling power or authority; sovereignty. v. tr. scep·tered scep·ter·ing scep·ters 1. To invest with royal authority. [Middle English sceptre from Old French from Latin sc¶ptrum from Greek sk¶ptron]

shel·ter ( shµl"t…r) n. 1. a. Something that provides cover or protection, as from the weather. b. A refuge; a haven. c. An establishment that provides temporary housing for homeless people. 2. The state of being covered or protected. v. shel·tered shel·ter·ing shel·ters v. tr. 1. To provide cover or protection for. 2. To invest (income) to protect it from taxation. v. intr. 1. To take cover; find refuge. [Perhaps from Middle English sheltron tight battle formation from Old English scildtruma scield shield; See shield truma troop; See deru- in Indo-European Roots.] shel "ter·er n. shel "ter·less adj.

Synonyms: shelter cover retreat refuge asylum sanctuary These nouns refer to places affording protection, as from danger, or to the state of being protected. Shelter usually implies a covered or enclosed area that protects temporarily, as from injury or attack: A cold frame provides shelter for the seedlings. " And the dead tree gives no shelter " (T.S. Eliot). Cover suggests something, as bushes, that conceals: The army mounted the invasion under cover of darkness. Retreat applies chiefly to a secluded place to which one retires for meditation, peace, or privacy: Their cabin in the woods served as a retreat from the pressures of business. Refuge suggests a place of escape from pursuit or from difficulties that beset one: " vagrants and criminals, who make this wild country a refuge from justice " (Sir Walter Scott). " The great advantage of a hotel is that it's a refuge from home life " (George Bernard Shaw). Asylum adds to refuge the idea of legal protection against a pursuer or of immunity from arrest: " O! receive the fugitive and prepare in time an asylum for mankind " (Thomas Paine). Sanctuary denotes a sacred or inviolable place of refuge: Some of the political refugees found sanctuary in a monastery.

deru- . Important derivatives are: tree truce true truth trust tray trough trim tar 1 endure druid Also dreu- To be firm, solid, steadfast; hence specialized senses " wood," " tree," and derivatives referring to objects made of wood. I. 1. Suffixed variant form *drew-o- . a. TREE , from Old English tr ¶ow, tree, from Germanic *trewam ; b. TRUCE , from Old English tr ¶ow, pledge, from Germanic *treuw ½. 2. Variant form dreu- . a. TRUE , from Old English tr ¶owe, firm, true; b. TROW , from Old English tr ¶owian, tr ¿wian, to trust; c. TRIG 1 , from Old Norse tryggr , firm, true; d. TROTH , TRUTH ; BETROTH , from Old English tr ¶owth faith, loyalty, truth, from Germanic abstract noun *treuwith ½; e. TRUST , from Old Norse traust , confidence, firmness, from Germanic abstract noun *traustam ; f. TRYST , from Old French triste , waiting place ( < " place where one waits trustingly "), probably from a source akin to Old Norse denominative treysta , to trust, make firm. a, b, c, d, e, and f all from Germanic *treuwaz . 3. Variant form *drou- . TRAY , from Old English tr ¶g, tr ºg, wooden board, from Germanic *traujam . 4. Suffixed zero-grade form *dru-ko- . TROUGH , from Old English trog , wooden vessel, tray, from Germanic *trugaz . 5. Suffixed zero-grade form *dru-mo- . a. TRIM , from Old English trum , firm, strong; b. SHELTER , from Old English truma , troop. Both a and b from Germanic *trum- . 6. Variant form *derw- . TAR 1 , from Old English te(o)ru , resin, pitch (obtained from the pine tree), from Germanic *terw- . 7. Suffixed variant form *dr ¿-ro-. DOUR , DURAMEN , DURESS , DURUM ; ( DURA MATER ), ENDURE , INDURATE , OBDURATE , from Latin d ¿rus, hard (many of whose English derivatives represent a semantic cross with Latin d ¿r³re, to last long; see deu …-). 8. Lengthened zero-grade form *dr ¿-. DRUPE , DRYAD ; DRYOPITHECINE , GERMANDER , HAMADRYAD , from Greek drus , oak. 9. Reduplicated form *der-drew- , dissimilated with suffix in *der-drew-on . DENDRO- , DENDRON ; PHILODENDRON , RHODODENDRON , from Greek dendron , tree. 10. DRUID , from Latin druides , druids, probably from Celtic compound *dru-wid- , " strong seer " ( *wid- , seeing; see weid- ), the Celtic priestly caste. 11. O-grade form *doru- . DEODAR , from Sanskrit d ³ru, wood, timber. [ Pokorny deru- 214. ]

skee·ter ( sk¶"t…r) n. Chiefly Southern U.S. 1. See mosquito . See note at possum . [Shortening and alteration of mosquito ]

smelt·er ( smµl"t…r) n. 1. a. An apparatus for smelting. b. Also smelt·er·y ( smµl"t…-r¶) pl. smelt·er·ies An establishment for smelting. 2. One who is engaged in the smelting industry.

spec·ter ( spµk"t…r) n. 1. A ghostly apparition; a phantom. 2. A haunting or disturbing image or prospect: the terrible specter of nuclear war. [French spectre from Latin spectrum appearance, apparition; See spectrum ]

spel·ter ( spµl"t…r) n. 1. Zinc, especially in the form of ingots, slabs, or plates. [Probably of Dutch or Low German origin]

sten·tor ( stµn"tôr") n. 1. Any of several trumpet-shaped, ciliate protozoans of the genus Stentor, living in dark freshwater pools and feeding chiefly on smaller microorganisms. [After Stentor , a Greek herald; See stentorian ]

ster·tor ( stûr"t…r) n. 1. A heavy snoring sound in respiration. [New Latin from Latin stertere to snore] ster "to·rous adj. ster "to·rous·ly adv.

svelte ( svµlt) adj. svelt·er svelt·est 1. Slender or graceful in figure or outline; slim. [French from Italian svelto, from past participle of svellere to stretch out from Vulgar Latin *exvellere from Latin ¶vellere¶, ex- ex- vellere to pull] svelte "ly adv. svelte "ness n.

sweat·er ( swµt"…r) n. 1. One that sweats, especially profusely. 2. A jacket or pullover made especially of knit, crocheted, or woven wool, cotton, or synthetic yarn. 3. Something, especially a sudorific, that induces sweating.

sweet ( sw¶t) adj. sweet·er sweet·est 1. Having the taste of sugar or a substance containing or resembling sugar, as honey or saccharin. 2. a. Containing or derived from sugar. b. Retaining some natural sugar; not dry: a sweet wine. 3. a. Pleasing to the senses; agreeable: the sweet song of the lark; a sweet face. b. Pleasing to the mind or feelings; gratifying: sweet revenge. 4. Having a pleasing disposition; lovable: a sweet child. 5. Kind; gracious: It was sweet of him to help out. 6. Fragrant; perfumed: a sweet scent. 7. Not saline or salted: sweet water; sweet butter. 8. Not spoiled, sour, or decaying; fresh: sweet milk. 9. Free of acid or acidity: sweet soil. 10. Low in sulfur content: sweet fuel oil. 11. Music Of, relating to, or being a form of jazz characterized by adherence to a melodic line and to a time signature. adv. 1. In a sweet manner; sweetly. n. 1. Sweet taste or quality; sweetness. 2. Something sweet to the taste. 3. sweets a. Foods, such as candy, pastries, puddings, or preserves, that are high in sugar content. b. Informal Sweet potatoes: candied sweets. 4. Chiefly British a. A sweet dish, such as pudding, served as dessert. b. A sweetmeat or confection. 5. A dear or beloved person. 6. Something pleasing to the mind or feelings.

Idioms: sweet on Informal 1. Enamored of; in love with. [Middle English swete from Old English sw¶te;See sw ³d- in Indo-European Roots.] sweet "ly adv. sweet "ness n.

swel·ter ( swµl"t…r) v. swel·tered swel·ter·ing swel·ters v. intr. 1. To suffer from oppressive heat. v. tr. 1. To affect with oppressive heat. 2. Archaic To exude (venom, for example). n. 1. A condition of oppressive heat. [Middle English swelteren, frequentative of swelten to faint from heat from Old English sweltan to perish]