Adjacent Words

wings definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a means of flight or ascent; "necessity lends wings to inspiration"
2: stylized bird wings worn as an insignia by qualified pilots or air crew members

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

On the wing. (a) Supported by, or flying with, the wings another. On the wings of the wind, with the utmost velocity. Under the wing, or wings, of, under the care or protection of. Wing and wing (Naut.), with sails hauled out on either side; -- said of a schooner, or her sails, when going before the wind with the foresail on one side and the mainsail on the other; also said of a square-rigged vessel which has her studding sails set. Cf. Goosewinged. Wing case (Zo["o]l.), one of the anterior wings of beetles, and of some other insects, when thickened and used to protect the hind wings; an elytron; -- called also wing cover. Wing covert (Zo["o]l.), one of the small feathers covering the bases of the wing quills. See Covert, n., 2. Wing gudgeon (Mach.), an iron gudgeon for the end of a wooden axle, having thin, broad projections to prevent it from turning in the wood. See Illust. of Gudgeon. Wing shell (Zo["o]l.), wing case of an insect. Wing stroke, the stroke or sweep of a wing. Wing transom (Naut.), the uppermost transom of the stern; -- called also main transom. --J. Knowles.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wingz (kanaph; pterux): Biblical references to the wings of birds are common, especially in Psalms, many of them exquisitely poetical. Often the wings of an eagle are mentioned because they are from 7 to 9 feet in sweep, of untiring flight, and have strength to carry heavy burdens: so they became the symbol of strength and endurance. Ancient monuments and obelisks are covered with the heads of bulls, lions, different animals, and men even, to which the wings of an eagle were added to symbolize strength. Sometimes the wings of a stork are used to portray strong flight, as in the vision of Zechariah: "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; now they had wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the ephah between earth and heaven" (5:9). The wings of a dove symbolized love. Wings in the abstract typified shelter, strength or speed, as a rule, while in some instances their use was ingenious and extremely poetical, as when Job records that the Almighty used wings to indicate migration: "And stretcheth her wings toward the south" (39:26). In Ps 17:8 there is a wonderful poetical imagery in the plea, "Hide me under the shadow of thy wings." In Ps 18:10 there is a reference to "the wings of the wind." And in 55:6 the Psalmist cries, "Oh that I had wings like a dove!" The brightness and peace of prosperous times are beautifully described in Ps 68:13, the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with pale green gold.' The first rays of dawn are compared to "the wings of the morning" (139:9). Solomon was thinking of the swiftness of wings when he said, "For riches' certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven" (Pr 23:5). So also was Isaiah in 40:31, "They that wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." In Mal 4:2 the King James Version, there is a beautiful reference, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings." the Revised Version (British and American) changes "his" to "its." Wings as an emblem of love were used by Jesus in the cry, "O Jerusalem .... how often would I have gathered thy children .... as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings" (Mt 23:37).

Gene Stratton-Porter

Moby Thesaurus

Hershey bar, L, R, acting area, apron, apron stage, aviation badge, backstage, badge, band shell, bandstand, bar, board, bridge, chevron, chicken, coulisse, dock, dressing room, eagle, epaulet, flies, fly floor, fly gallery, forestage, greenroom, grid, gridiron, hash mark, insignia of branch, lightboard, oak leaf, orchestra, orchestra pit, organization insignia, overseas bar, parachute badge, patch, performing area, pip, pit, proscenium, proscenium stage, service stripe, shell, shoulder patch, shoulder sleeve insignia, spread eagle, stage, stage left, stage right, star, stripe, submarine badge, switchboard, the boards