wing English · revision 4413

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1175|origins=non vængr}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /wɪŋ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|wenge]], at first in the plural,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) [[bor|non|vængr|t=wing of a bird; aisle]], plural vængir,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) cognate with Danish and Swedish vinge.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) The Norse word is of unknown origin,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) perhaps from Proto-Germanic *we-ingjaz, from [[ine-pro|*we-|t=to blow]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) the root of [[wind]] and of Old English wāwan “to blow”.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) It replaced Old English feþra, plural of feþer, the source of [[feather]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The organ of flight of a bird, bat or insect: about 1175 in the OED, Barnhart and Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Wings were given to angels and fabulous creatures from about 1200,^(OED 1989) and figuratively it meant protection, care, from the 14th century, as in ''under someone's wing''.^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) The wing of a bird as food is from about 1470.^(OED 1989) Either of the two divisions of an army is from about 1400, later extended to factions and political parties;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a part of a building projecting from the main part is from 1523;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and the side scenes of a theatre stage from about 1790.^(Etymonline) The verb meant at first to carve a quail or partridge, in the Book of St Albans, 1486;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) to take flight is from 1605 in Shakespeare's King Lear,^(Barnhart 1988) and to shoot a bird in the wing from 1802.^(Etymonline) ''Wing it'', to improvise, is from 1885 and is said to come from the theatre, of an actor who learned his part in the wings or relied on a prompter there.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) ''Earn one's wings'', from the badges given to air cadets, is from the 1940s,^(Etymonline) and ''on a wing and a prayer'' is from a song of 1942 about a damaged bomber coming in to land.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1175 – an organ of flight.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – the wings of angels.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – a division of an army.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1470 – a wing as food.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1486 – verb, to carve a bird.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1523 – a wing of a building.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1605 – verb, to fly.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1790 – the wings of a stage.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1802 – to shoot in the wing.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1885 – ''wing it''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1942 – ''on a wing and a prayer''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # One of the paired limbs or organs by which a [[bird]], [[bat]] or [[insect]] flies.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Either of the long structures on each side of an [[aircraft]] that support it in the air.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A part of a building projecting from the main part.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A [[faction]] within a party or group: ''the left wing''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''wings'': the area at either side of a stage, out of sight of the audience.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In sport, a player on either side of the field, or that position.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(British)'' The [[fender]] of a car.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An air force unit made up of several squadrons.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To fly, or to travel as if flying.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To wound in the wing or arm.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To do without preparation; to [[improvise]]: ''wing it''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To fit with wings.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wingy]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[winged]]

+ * [[wingspan]]

+ * [[wind]]

+ * [[feather]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Shetland, wing was also bait cut from the belly of a fish near the gills.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}