# break wind

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/break-wind
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To expel gases generated during digestion, especially through the anus; to fart.

## Examples

- He tried not to break wind during the meeting.
- The dog ate too fast and started to break wind on the sofa.
- In the awkward silence of the crowded lift, someone unmistakably broke wind, and no one dared to speak.

## Origin

First attested in 1552, the expression is a compound of the verb *break* and the noun *wind*, the latter signifying flatulence. The construction finds a parallel in the Saterland Frisian *wiendje*.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.