windup
windup — noun
1. a made-up story presented as true for amusement, typically told with a serious f
a made-up story presented as true for amusement, typically told with a serious face so the listener believes it
Gabriel told everyone he had won the lottery, but it was just a windup.
Charlotte's friends laughed when she finally understood their ghost story was a windup.
informal register for a playful lie
Nobody believed Wei's windup about finding a diamond ring in the park.
The new student thought the strange rule was real, not a windup from classmates.
- tell someone a windup
- it's just a windup
- windup from
Usage Note
Primarily British English in this sense. The person telling the windup usually keeps a straight face so the listener thinks the story is true.
Common Mistakes
2. the set of body movements a baseball pitcher performs before releasing the ball
the set of body movements a baseball pitcher performs before releasing the ball toward the batter, typically raising the arms and lifting one leg
The pitcher began his windup, lifting his left leg high before throwing the fastball.
windup as a countable noun in baseball context
The pitcher's slow ninth-inning windup involved raising his arms and lifting his knee.
Esteban practiced his windup every morning, repeating the arm circle and leg lift until each motion felt smooth and natural.
The coach told the pitcher to keep his eyes on the batter during the windup.
A short windup helps a pitcher throw faster when a runner is on base.
- begin/start your windup
- a slow/quick windup
- during the windup
- windup and pitch
- delivery
includes the entire throwing motion, not just the preparatory movements
- pitching motion
more general; windup is one type of pitching motion
Usage Note
Domain-specific to baseball. The windup is distinct from the 'stretch position' — the windup involves a fuller range of motion and is used when no runners are on base.
Common Mistakes
3. the moment when something finishes, or the way in which an event, story, or acti
the moment when something finishes, or the way in which an event, story, or activity comes to a close
The windup of the movie surprised everyone with an unexpected twist.
windup = the final part of something
We stayed until the windup of the conference, when the organiser thanked all the speakers and handed out certificates.
The festival's windup featured a fireworks display over the lake.
Indra's speech marked the windup of the charity dinner.
- the windup of the event
- windup speech
- grand windup
- at the windup
- conclusion
more formal and common; windup has a slightly more informal, British tone
- end
simpler and broader in meaning
- finish
emphasises the final moment rather than the process leading to it
Usage Note
Often used in fixed phrases such as 'windup of an event' or 'the grand windup'. This sense overlaps with 'conclusion' but is slightly less formal.
windup — adjective
- winduppositive
- more windupcomparative
- most windupsuperlative
1. describing a device such as a toy, clock, or camera that works when you turn a s
describing a device such as a toy, clock, or camera that works when you turn a small handle or key to tighten its internal spring
Gita's grandfather still keeps a windup watch on his bedside table.
windup + watch (typical collocation)
The children played with a windup toy frog that hopped across the living room floor.
Mira bought a small windup alarm clock for her travels because it never needs batteries.
Beatrix found an old windup music box in her grandmother's wooden closet.
Windup cameras were popular before electronic models became cheap.
- windup toy
- windup watch
- windup alarm clock
- windup camera
- windup music box
- mechanical
broader term that includes all non-electronic moving devices, not only spring-driven ones
- clockwork
describes a similar spring-powered mechanism, especially in toys
- hand-wound
specifically for watches and clocks that require manual winding
- automatic
for watches that wind themselves through movement
Grammar Patterns
windup + noun
Usage Note
This adjective always appears before a noun. It contrasts with 'battery-operated' and 'electronic'. Windup devices are often considered old-fashioned.
Common Mistakes
windup — verb
- winduppresent simple I / you / we / they
- windups3rd person singular
- winduping-ing form
- windupedpast simple
1. to finish a meeting, event, discussion, or activity, especially by making sure a
to finish a meeting, event, discussion, or activity, especially by making sure all parts are complete
The chairperson wound up the meeting by thanking everyone for their hard work.
wind up + meeting (typical collocation)
Gabriel wound up his presentation with a short video about the new product.
The teacher wound up the lesson ten minutes early so students could ask questions.
Let us wind up this discussion and move on to the next topic.
- wind up a meeting
- wind up a discussion
- wind up a presentation
- wind up a session
Grammar Patterns
wind up + noun
wind + noun + up
Usage Note
Often used in formal or semi-formal contexts for meetings and events. The object can go between 'wind' and 'up' (wind a meeting up) or after 'up' (wind up a meeting).
Common Mistakes
2. to close a company or organization permanently by dealing with its money matters
to close a company or organization permanently by dealing with its money matters, contracts, and legal responsibilities
After thirty years of trade, the family decided to wind up the company.
wind up + company (business domain)
A lawyer was brought in to wind up the charity and distribute its remaining funds.
The two business partners agreed to wind up the firm and sell all the equipment.
Charlotte helped her uncle wind up his shop after he decided to retire.
- wind up a company
- wind up a business
- wind up a firm
- wind up an organization
- wind up a charity
- liquidate
more formal and specifically financial; wind up is broader
- dissolve
often used for partnerships or organizations rather than companies
- close down
more general; may not include formal legal procedures
Grammar Patterns
wind up + company/organization
Usage Note
Common in business and legal contexts. To 'wind up' a company involves formal procedures such as paying debts, selling assets, and filing documents. Not the same as simply 'closing' a shop for the day.
Common Mistakes
3. to reach a final point after developing or continuing for a period of time
to reach a final point after developing or continuing for a period of time
The party wound up at midnight after the last guests said goodbye.
intransitive: wind up + time/place adverb
The concert wound up with a beautiful song that made the whole crowd cheer.
The long class debate finally wound up when the bell rang for break.
The celebration wound up with a huge cake and a round of applause.
- wind up with
- wind up at
- wind up late
- finally wind up
Grammar Patterns
wind up + with + noun
wind up + adverb
Usage Note
Intransitive version of sense 1. The subject is the event itself, and no direct object follows. Frequently used with 'with' to describe how something ended.
Common Mistakes
4. to reach a particular place or state after a series of events, often unexpectedl
to reach a particular place or state after a series of events, often unexpectedly or without having planned it
Femi took the wrong train and wound up in a small village fifty miles away.
wind up + prepositional phrase (place)
Wei never planned to become a teacher, but he wound up loving the job.
Noor's family went for a short walk and wound up hiking all afternoon.
wind up + verb-ing
If you keep spending money like that, you will wind up with nothing saved.
The lost kitten wound up on the doorstep of a kind old woman.
- wind up in
- wind up at
- wind up doing
- wind up with
- wind up like
Grammar Patterns
wind up + preposition + noun
wind up + verb-ing
wind up + adjective
Usage Note
Very common in everyday conversation. Often suggests that the result was not the original intention. 'End up' is a near synonym and more common in American English; 'wind up' is slightly more British.
Common Mistakes
5. in baseball, to move your arms and body into position before throwing the ball t
in baseball, to move your arms and body into position before throwing the ball toward the hitter
The pitcher wound up slowly and then threw a fastball straight down the middle.
baseball-specific intransitive use
The young pitcher wound up by swinging his arms back and lifting his front knee.
The home crowd cheered loudly as the pitcher wound up for the final throw.
Esteban wound up and released the ball before the batter could get ready.
- wind up and pitch
- wind up for a throw
- wind up slowly
- wind up carefully
- go into the windup
longer phrasal equivalent, more descriptive
Usage Note
Domain-specific to baseball. The verb corresponds to noun sense 2 (the windup). In baseball commentary, 'winds up' is used in the present tense, and 'wound up' in the past.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/4
Wind up, end up, finish up, and land up all describe reaching a final state or place after a series of events. 'Wind up' and 'end up' are the most common and can often be used interchangeably, though 'wind up' is slightly more frequent in British English ('He wound up in hospital') while 'end up' is preferred in American English ('He ended up in the hospital'). 'Finish up' adds a sense of completing a process ('She finished up working at the same company'). 'Land up' is informal and mainly British ('We landed up at a tiny café by the river'). In casual speech, all four can be used with a place, an activity ('wound up singing'), or a state ('wound up happy'). For exams and formal writing, 'end up' is the safest choice across all varieties of English.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'windup' comes from the phrasal verb 'wind up', formed from Old English 'windan' (to turn, twist, or coil) and the adverb particle 'up'. The original meaning — tightening a spring by turning a key — dates back to the 1500s. By the 1700s, the sense of 'bring to a conclusion' emerged, based on the image of winding a clock or watch until it reaches its end point. The baseball sense developed in 19th-century America. The joking-deception sense ('a windup') comes from British slang, suggesting someone is being 'wound up' like a mechanical toy.
First known use
1665
1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Adjective