window box
1580
window, b) a piece of glass in a window; WINDOWPANE: The burglars smashed the window to get into the house. | a stained-glass window | a window cleaner | goods displayed in a shop window ➔ see also BAY WINDOW, FRENCH WINDOWS, SASH WINDOW 2 tech a) one of a number of areas into which a computer's SCREEN can be divided, each of which is used to show a particular type of information b) a part of the Earth's ATMOSPHERE through which radio waves can pass to or from space c) a short period of time that is the only one that can be used for a particular activity: a launch window for a space rocket 3 a transparent area on the front of an envelope, through which the address can be seen on the letter inside 4 something goes out (of) the window used in order to say that a promise, rule, way of doing things etc is ignored or forgotten completely in a particular situation: All my good intentions to stick to my diet went out the window when I saw the fantastic meal he'd made. | Social class goes out of the window once you're inside the prison walls.
'window box n a box full of earth in which plants can be grown outside a window
'window cleaner n a person whose job is cleaning windows.
CULTURAL NOTE In the UK, some people make jokes about window cleaners because they imagine that window cleaners see a lot of interesting and strange things while they are cleaning windows, especially women without any clothes on.
'window dresser n someone whose job is window dressing
'window dressing n [U] 1 the art or practice of arranging goods in a shop window to give a good effect and attract customers 2 usually derog something that is intended to attract people to an idea or activity, especially by showing only what is favourable: All these films and glossy pamphlets about the new house-building programme are just window dressing; it's going to cost the taxpayer a lot of money.
win·dow·ing /'wɪndəɪŋ/ n [U] tech the designing (DESIGN) of computer PROGRAMS in a way that lets a person use them by means of WINDOWS
win·dow·pane /'wɪndəʊpeɪn/ n a single whole piece of glass in a window
Win·dows /'wɪndəʊz/ trademark an OPERATING SYSTEM for computers, produced by the MICROSOFT Corporation, which allows users to run several PROGRAMS at the same time in separate areas of the computer screen. Windows systems include Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 98 and they are used on over 90% of the world's personal computers.
'window seat n 1 a seat inside a room below a window especially a BAY window 2 a seat next to the window in a bus, plane etc
'window shade n AmE for BLIND
'win·dow·shop v -pp- [I] to look at the goods shown in shop windows without necessarily intending to buy: I like going window-shopping. -per n
win·dow·sill /'wɪndəʊsɪl/ n a flat shelf at the base of a window, on the inside or outside
wind·pipe /'wɪndpaɪp/ also trachea med - n the tube which forms an air passage from the throat to the top of the lungs
Win·d·scale /'wɪndskeɪl/ the former name of SELLAFIELD, a NUCLEAR POWER station in northwest England
wind·screen /'wɪndskriːn/ BrE II wind·shield AmE - n a piece of glass or transparent material across the front of a car, TRUCK etc, which the driver looks through ➔ see picture at CAR
'windscreen washer n an apparatus consisting of a water bottle, a pipe and a small JET through which the water is forced onto a car windscreen for cleaning it while driving
'windscreen wiper n a movable arm which clears rain from a windscreen ➜ see picture at CAR
wind·shield /'wɪndʃiːld/ n 1 a piece of transparent material fixed at the front of a motorcycle 2 AmE a windscreen ➔ see picture at CAR
wind·sock /'wɪndsɒk||-sɑːk/ n a piece of material shaped like a tube coming to a point at one end, fastened to a pole at airports to show the direction of the wind
Wind·sor /'wɪnzə/ a town in southern England on the River Thames famous for its castle ➔ see also WINDSORS
Windsor, Bar-ba-ra /'ba:barall'ba:-/ (1947-`) a British actress who became very popular during the 1960s for playing cheerful, sexy girls in the Carry On films, in which she often lost her clothes. In the 1990s she joined the television SOAP OPERA East Enders as Peggy Mitchell, LANDLADY of the Queen Victoria PUB and mother of the brothers Grant and Phil.
Windsor 'Castle one of the official homes of the British royal family, in the town of Windsor. It was badly damaged by a fire in 1992, but in 1998 it was opened again for the public to visit, after all the damage had been repaired.
Windsor 'Great Park the large park in which Windsor Castle stands
Wind-sors, the /'wɪnzǝl|-zǝrz/ a name used especially by newspapers for the present British royal family, whose family name is Windsor
wind-storm /'wɪndstɔ:mll-ɔ:rm/ n a weather condition of strong wind, with little or no rain
wind-surf-ing /'wɪnd s:fɪl|-sɝ:/- n [U] the sport of riding on SAILBOARDS ➔ see also SURF -er n
wind-swept /'wɪndswept/ adj 1 (of a place) open to the wind, especially when there are no trees or buildings nearby a windswept moor | the windswept ruins of an ancient place 2 (of a person, their hair etc) untidy (as if) blown by the wind: She looked windswept when she came in out of the storm.
wind tun-nel /'wɪnd tʌnl/ n an artificial enclosed passage through which air is forced at fixed speeds to test aircraft and their parts
wind tur-bine /'wɪnd tɝ:baɪnl|-tɝ:rbɪn, -baɪn/ n a WINDMILL
wind-up Bre || wind-up AmE /'waɪnd ʌp/ n 1 BrE infml something that you say or do in order to make someone angry or worried, as a joke 2 [sing] a series of actions that are intended to complete a process, meeting etc: The President made a statement at the windup of the summit in Helsinki.
wind-ward¹ /'wɪndwɔ:dll -wɔ:rd/ adj, adv, especially naut 1 against the direction of the wind; towards the direction from which the wind is blowing: We steered windward/a windward course. 2 facing the wind: the windward side of the wall ➔ opposite LEEWARD
windward² n [U] especially naut the side or direction from which the wind is blowing: We steered a course to windward
'Windward Islands, the a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, which includes Martinique, Grenada, and St Lucia
wind-y /'wɪndi/ adj 1 with a lot of wind: a windy day | a windy hillside 2 especially lit (of a person or speech) full of fine-sounding but meaningless words, especially when praising oneself 3 causing air or gas in the stomach 4 old-fashioned infml, especially BrE frightened or nervous -ily adv -iness [U]
Windy 'City, the a NICKNAME for the US city of CHICAGO
wine /waɪn/ n [C,U] 1 (an) alcoholic drink made from GRAPES: a glass of white/red wine | the wines of California/Bordeaux | my favourite wine | a wine glass | Would you like to taste the wine, sir? (=drink a small quantity to test it for quality) 2 (an) alcoholic drink made from fruit, plant etc: apple wine ➔ see also TABLE WINE 3 wine, women, and song often humor the pleasant life that represents the supposed usual enjoyment of men
wine2 v wine and dine to entertain or be entertained with a meal and wine: We wined and dined (them) until late into the night.
'wine bar n BrE a type of BAR that serves mainly wine and often also provides light meals
CULTURAL NOTE Wine bars are very different from pubs and usually aim to have a more fashionable image. They are popular especially with MIDDLE-CLASS professional men and women.