wing

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a barrier that surrounds the wheels of a vehicle to block splashing water or mud

   in Britain they call a fender a wing

2. 2
   noun

   the wing of a fowl

   They preferred the drumsticks to the wings.

3. 3
   noun

   a group within a political party or legislature or other organization that holds distinct views or has a particular function

   they are the progressive wing of the Republican Party

4. 4
   noun

   An appendage of an animal's (bird, bat, insect) body that enables it to fly.

   The bird was flapping its wings

5. 5
   noun

   Part of an aircraft that produces the lift for rising into the air.

   I took my seat on the plane, overlooking the wing.

6. 6
   noun

   Passage by flying; flight.

   to take wing

7. 7
   noun

   Limb or instrument of flight; means of flight or of rapid motion.

   Fiery expedition be my wing.

8. 8
   noun

   A part of something that is lesser in size than the main body, and located at the side, such as an extension from the main building.

   the west wing of the hospital

Etymology

From Middle English winge, wenge, from Old Norse vængr ("wing of a flying animal, wing of a building"; compare vængi (“ship's cabin”)), from Proto-Germanic *wēingijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- (“to blow”), thus related to wind. Cognate with Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Swedish vinge (“wing”), Elfdalian waingg (“wing”), Faroese vongur (“wing”), Icelandic vængur (“wing”), Norwegian Nynorsk veng (“wing”). Replaced native Middle English fither (from Old English fiþre, from Proto-Germanic *fiþriją), which merged with Middle English fether (from Old English feþer, from Proto-Germanic *feþrō…