windy

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   using or containing too many words

   long-winded (or windy) speakers

2. 2
   adj

   resembling the wind in speed, force, or variability

   a windy dash home

3. 3
   adj

   Accompanied by wind.

   It was a long and windy night.

4. 4
   adj

   Unsheltered and open to the wind.

   They shagged in a windy bus shelter.

5. 5
   adj

   Empty and lacking substance.

   They made windy promises they would not keep.

6. 6
   adj

   Long-winded; orally verbose.

   I am not come hither to contend with the King of Witchland in windy railing, but to match my strength against his, sinew against sinew.

7. 7
   adj

   Flatulent.

   The Tex-Mex meal had made them somewhat windy.

8. 8
   adj

   Nervous, frightened.

   The thing is he’s not windy, he’s a perfectly good soldier, no more than reasonably afraid of rifle and machine-gun bullets, shells, grenades.

Etymology

From Middle English windy, from Old English windiġ (“windy”), from Proto-Germanic *windigaz (“windy”), equivalent to wind + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian wiendich (“windy”), West Frisian winich (“windy”), Dutch winderig (“windy”), German Low German windig (“windy”), German windig (“windy”), Swedish vindig (“windy”), Icelandic vindugur (“windy”). The “frightened” sense probably derives from the phrase have the wind up.