# windy

/ˈwaɪndi/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/windy
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. weather

adjective · CEFR A2

having a lot of wind.

For teachers: characterised by strong or frequent winds.

- It was such a windy day that my umbrella turned inside out.
- The forecast predicts increasingly windy conditions along the coast, with gusts expected to reach gale force by midnight.

### 2. twisting

adjective · CEFR B1

having many bends or turns, like a road.

For teachers: characterised by many curves, bends, or turns; synonymous with 'winding'.

- The car moved slowly down the windy mountain road.
- The bus navigated the windy coastal path with difficulty, as the sharp turns required constant braking and gear changes.

### 3. nervous

adjective · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang

feeling nervous or scared about something.

For teachers: experiencing fear or apprehension.

- He got a bit windy before his first solo flight.
- The younger recruits started to get windy as the deadline for the operation approached, despite their intensive training.

Teaching tip: This sense is primarily British and somewhat dated; modern speakers are more likely to use 'nervous' or 'jittery'.

### 4. too many words

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

using too many words to say something simple.

For teachers: using or containing too many words; verbose or long-winded.

- The politician gave a windy speech that didn't really answer the question.
- The chairman's windy introduction lasted nearly twenty minutes, leaving the keynote speaker with very little time for her presentation.

### 5. gas in the stomach

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

having too much gas in your stomach.

For teachers: suffering from or causing an accumulation of gas in the alimentary canal.

- Beans always make me feel a bit windy.
- The patient complained of feeling windy and bloated after consuming dairy products, suggesting a possible intolerance.

## Examples

- It is too windy to play tennis today.
- The coastal path is very windy, so make sure you wear a jacket with a hood.
- The expedition was delayed by several days due to the exceptionally windy conditions on the ridge, which made setting up camp nearly impossible.

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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.