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Wind up / down - different versions of British English

Wind up / down - different versions of British English

Date: Nov 29 2007

Topic: Idioms and Slang

Author: Lesmundo2003

Lesson


To 'wind up':

Pronunciation - not as in the wind & the weather,

but to wind up a clock (analogue/non-digital).

(Wind - to rhyme with blind.)


This is something I like to do - to tease & play on the words with someone. To create a moment of self awareness & mirth afterwards. Then it can be said to the person:

• "... you are so easy to wind up".

This is the slang version of the phrase.


Of course, if you push it too far, you can cause irritation & even angry.

This falls into the formal version of the phrase.


If you become too well known as this type of person, you would be called:

a - in a light humoured way - a wind up artist

b - in a not so light humoured way - a wind up merchant.


Another version - "to wind up" - to finally end up in a location, position or status.

• "I've toured all over Europe & finally wound up in Spain"

• "I didn't expect to wind up with this job, after all these years, with the same company".


Another version - wind something up - is a rapid closing or finishing that something.

• "I'm just about to wind up for the day"

 = I'm finishing the work now & then I go.


Another version - wind something down - a slower way to finish that something.

• "I'm just winding down & then I'm off"

 = I'm finishing the work, taking a rest & then I go, in a more casual way.


------

Now - 'wind up':

Pronunciation - as in the wind & the weather.


'put the wind up' - to frighten, scare or just alarmed a person.

"you really put the wind up him, telling him that his boss was on the warpath about his unsatisfactory work."


--------

EXPLANATIONS of other words used here:


'analogue' = the mechanical version of clocks & other non-digital devices.


'mirth' = amusement with slight laughter


'toured' = a journey with many places visited along that route


'I'm off' = said as you are about to leave a place


'on the warpath' = taken from the American Indians - 'journey of killing' - to mean an angry or irritated state of mind in the extreme of normal behaviour, but not criminal behaviour. No killing  :-)


Lastly - humoured = British spelling // humored = American spelling


Here endeth the lesson  :-)


(old phrase used with a Shakespearean slant - "endeth")


----- My first lesson on E-Baby - hope you understand - if not - ask!  :-)  -----



Comments

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alpha girl

alpha girl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

you're welcome, dear:)

 

03:06 AM Mar 28 2011 |

alpha girl

alpha girl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Dear Criz! wind in your sentence is a noun,that's true. but sometimes it's a verb, in that case the pronounciation is like blind,as Lesmondo said.

wind(v),wound,wound( pronouned like sound)

02:26 AM Mar 28 2011 |

Perlafina

Perlafina

France

Very good 

01:16 PM May 16 2008 |

Jajani

Jajani

Sri Lanka

It’s a good lesson !

08:56 AM Mar 17 2008 |

Jajani

Jajani

Sri Lanka

An interesting lesson. Please give us some more.

Winding up with a big Thank you !

Smile

 

08:56 AM Mar 17 2008 |

Lesmundo2003

Spain

The tradition Santa & Christian Xmas is associated with England & with that the traditional phrase is:

  "Have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year"


but "Happy Holidays to all", takes in all peoples.

This is what I've learnt from you, so thank you  :-)

12:40 PM Dec 22 2007 |

hele

hele

India

nice to learn

03:28 AM Dec 15 2007 |

alogigi

alogigi

United States

thank you very much

I learned something new today

Happy Holidays

gigi

07:32 PM Dec 14 2007 |

miss rose

Syrian Arab Republic

it's realy good leason thanks

 

06:19 PM Dec 14 2007 |

Lesmundo2003

Spain


You are most welcome gentlemen, young & old  :-)

12:18 PM Dec 14 2007 |

mokona

mokona

Mexico

its good lesson thanks  

bye

04:41 AM Dec 14 2007 |

theking.t3

theking.t3

Algeria

Very very good lesson and thank you so much Sir for these valuable information

bye!

09:07 PM Dec 13 2007 |

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