wound

¹

[ woond; Older Use and Literary wound ]

noun

1. an injury, usually involving division of tissue or rupture of the integument or mucous membrane, due to external violence or some mechanical agency rather than disease.

   Synonyms: trauma, lesion, laceration, stab, cut

2. a similar injury to the tissue of a plant.
3. an injury or hurt to feelings, sensibilities, reputation, etc.

   Synonyms: anguish, pain, insult

verb (used with object)

1. to inflict a wound upon; injure; hurt.

   Synonyms: lacerate, stab, cut, damage, harm

verb (used without object)

1. to inflict a wound.

wound

²

[ wound ]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of wind ² and wind ³.

wound

¹

/ wuːnd /

noun

1. any break in the skin or an organ or part as the result of violence or a surgical incision
2. an injury to plant tissue
3. any injury or slight to the feelings or reputation

verb

1. to inflict a wound or wounds upon (someone or something)

wound

²

/ waʊnd /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of wind 2

Derived Forms

• ˈwounder, noun
• ˈwoundless, adjective
• ˈwoundingly, adverb
• ˈwoundable, adjective
• ˈwounding, adjective

Other Words From

• wounded·ly adverb
• wounding·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wound¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English wund; cognate with Old High German wunta ( German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds; (verb) Middle English wounden, Old English wundian, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wound¹

Old English wund; related to Old Frisian wunde, Old High German wunta (German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lick one's wounds, to attempt to heal one's injuries or soothe one's hurt feelings after a defeat.

More idioms and phrases containing wound

see lick one's wounds ; rub in (salt into a wound) .

Synonym Study

See injury.

Example Sentences

From the late ’60s until 1998, when the Good Friday Agreement wound down hostilities between the Catholic nationalist Irish Republican Army and the U.K.-supported loyalist protestant militias, Northern Ireland was afflicted with the conflict known as the Troubles.

From Los Angeles Times

A tenant rights attorney and political novice, Jurado also overcame a self-inflicted wound after being caught on a recording saying “F— the police.”

From Los Angeles Times

The author and contributing editor to Vanity Fair was searching for material to add to a new edition of her Babitz biography, “Hollywood’s Eve,” but wound up sniffing out an entirely new project.

From Los Angeles Times

Some waver because reengaging with the Defense Department seems like pouring salt in the wound.

From Los Angeles Times

But, after a drawn-out saga with his Japanese team, Sasaki wound up staying.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bruise
• cut
• damage
• grief
• laceration
• lesion
• pain
• shock
• trauma