noun
wind-up
WYND-up
Wind-up (noun) means an act of teasing someone by telling them something untrue to see how they react, or the false story itself. Example: “We missed the last train and wound up sleeping at the airport.”
noun
1
British informal An act of teasing someone by telling them something untrue to see how they react, or the false story itself.
"We missed the last train and wound up sleeping at the airport."
"Keep spending like that and you'll wind up in debt."
"When he said the office was closing, I assumed it was a wind-up."
"She's a nightmare for a wind-up — she once convinced me the boss had been arrested."
2
The final stage or conclusion of something, especially a meeting, a business or a season.
"Let's wind up the meeting, we're over time."
"The directors voted to wind up the business in March."
"The wind-up of the company took eighteen months."
3
In baseball, the swinging arm movement a pitcher makes before releasing the ball.
"He only said it to wind you up."
"Stop winding your sister up."
"He went into his wind-up with two men on base."
4
British informal A joke or trick played on somebody to make them believe something untrue; usually written wind-up.
"Tell me the parking fine is a wind-up."
"The whole email turned out to be an elaborate wind-up."
verb
1
To turn a key or handle to tighten the spring of a clock or toy, or to raise something by cranking it.
"Wind up the old carriage clock every Sunday."
"She wound up the car window before the rain hit."
How to use wind-up
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTelling someone something untrue just to see their reaction.
When to use it
The teasing sense is British and Irish informal; the "conclusion" sense is neutral and used in business and law.
Memory tip
"Wound up" as an adjective means tense and agitated — "he was too wound up to sleep" — which is a state, not an action.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
it's a wind-up
have someone on as a wind-up
a wind-up merchant
the wind-up of the company
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Etymology
From the phrasal verb wind up, in the sense of tightening a spring and hence provoking or agitating a person.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
start up
launch
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between wind up and wind down?
Wind down means to relax or to reduce activity gradually. Wind up means to finish something off, or in British slang to provoke someone. Confusingly, a business can be wound down over months and then wound up when it formally closes.
What does "you're winding me up" mean?
It means "you are teasing me" or "you cannot be serious" — the speaker suspects they are being told something untrue for a laugh. It is very common in British and Irish English and is not usually said in anger.
What does taking the wind-up mean in British slang?
A wind-up is a prank or a deliberate provocation. Saying "is this a wind-up?" means "are you making this up to get a reaction from me?", and a wind-up merchant is someone who does it habitually.
What is the difference between a wind-up and a prank?
A prank can involve objects and staging; a wind-up is almost always verbal, built on convincing someone of something false. A wind-up also stops as soon as the target realises, whereas a prank often has a physical payoff.
What is the past tense of wind up?
Wound up, pronounced to rhyme with found. "We wound up in Brighton" and "the company was wound up" both use it.
What is a wind-up merchant?
British slang for someone who habitually provokes or teases others, either for amusement or to get a rise out of them. It is mildly disapproving.
