winding

Having many curves or turns rather than being straight.

• We drove along a winding road.
• A narrow, winding path leads to the lake.
• They climbed the winding staircase to the tower.

Similar words: curving, twisting, sinuous

Opposites: straight

Common phrases: a winding road, a winding path, a winding staircase

Moving along a course with many curves or turns.

• The snake advanced with a winding motion.
• The water followed a winding course through the fields.
• Her winding movements carried her across the dance floor.

Similar words: twisting, sinuous, serpentine

Common phrases: winding movement, a winding course, winding motion

Curving around a central point as it goes up or down.

• A winding staircase leads upstairs.
• We climbed the winding stairs inside the tower.
• The winding stone steps made me feel dizzy.

Similar words: spiral, helical

Common phrases: winding staircase, winding stairs, winding stone steps

Making it difficult for you to breathe, especially through effort or a blow to the body.

• He received a winding blow to the stomach.
• A winding kick left her gasping for air.
• She recovered slowly from the winding punch.

Common phrases: a winding blow, a winding kick, a winding punch

The action of turning or wrapping something around itself or another object.

• The winding of the thread took an hour.
• Loose winding can leave gaps between the coils.
• This machine makes cable winding much faster.

How to use it: the winding of something around something (The machine controls the winding of wire around the reel.)

Similar words: coiling, wrapping

Opposites: unwinding

Common phrases: winding of wire, thread winding, coil winding

A curve, bend, or series of twists in the shape of something.

• The road's windings were easy to see from above.
• We traced each winding of the river on the map.
• A cottage stood beyond the last winding of the lane.

How to use it: the windings of something (The map shows all the windings of the river.)

Similar words: bend, curve, twist

Common phrases: winding of a river, every winding, a narrow winding

Turning a key or handle to tighten a spring so a clock or machine can work.

• This clock needs daily winding.
• Too much winding can damage the spring.
• The watch stopped because I forgot its morning winding.

How to use it: the winding up of something (The winding up of the clock takes only a few seconds.)

Opposites: unwinding

Common phrases: daily winding, manual winding, winding up

A movement that follows curves or changes direction repeatedly.

• The dance began with a slow winding of the body.
• We watched the snake's winding through the grass.
• The stream's winding carried the leaf past several bends.

How to use it: the winding of something through something (We watched the winding of the snake through the grass.)

Similar words: twisting, turning

Common phrases: a slow winding, winding of a snake, winding through something