Quote
1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“I really give my all while I’m working, I make a lot of sacrifices. But I also need time to wind down. And to do things in my time off, things I’d like to do now, while I can.”
Sebastian Vettel, Formula 1 world champion race car driver, talking about what’s important to him when making contract agreements (Reader’s Digest)
Definition
1. Definition - Study the definition.
relax
2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.
Before digital clocks and alarms were invented, people used an older object to tell time: a wind-up clock. This kind of clock required a person to wind up a part inside the clock, which would then start ticking. As the clock continued ticking, it would slowly wind down. Eventually, the ticking would stop, and someone would have to wind up the clock again in order for it to work.
Likewise, the expression wind down means something is stopping or has already stopped, so now you can relax. Maybe it’s been a busy week, so now it’s time to stop, to wind down by watching TV. Maybe a big project is about finished, so now you can wind down and be free from all the pressure. University students often take a few days to wind down after final exams.
For professional athletes and celebrities, like Sebasatian Vettel, time to wind down means time that is not spent doing what they normally do. Like a clock that has stopped ticking, Sebastian needs a chance to stop working, time when he is out of the spotlight and can rest. Afterwards, he’ll be ready to start working again.
How do you wind down? How often should people take a break from their normal activities?
Examples
1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.
“I’m going to read for a while to wind down before bed.”
“Things have been so busy at work lately. I really need to take a day off to wind down.”
“I listen to jazz to wind down. It quiets my mind.”