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Wing, Wings

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Wing of a house, wing of an army, wing of a battalion or squadron, etc., are the side-pieces which start from the main body, as the wings of birds.

Donʹt try to fly without wings. Attempt nothing you are not fit for. A French proverb.

On the wing. Au vol, about to leave.

To clip one’s wings. To take down one’s conceit; to hamper one’s action. In French, Rogner les ailes [à quelquʹun].

To lend wings. To spur one’s speed.

“This sound of danger lent me wings.”


R. L. Stevenson.

To take one under your wing. To patronise and protect. The allusion is to a hen gathering her chicks under her wing.

To take wing. To fly away; to depart without warning. (French, sʹenvoler.)

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Winds
Windfall
Windmills
Windmill Street
Window. (Norwegian, vindue.)
Wine
Wine
Wine-month. (Anglo-Saxon, Win-monath.)
Wine Mingled with Myrrh (Mark xv. 23)
Wintrith
Wing, Wings
Wings of Azrael (The)
Winged Rooks
Winifred (St.)
Winkle (Rip van)
Wint-monath [Wind-month]
Winter, Summer
Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare)
Wipple-tree or Whipultre
Wisdom-tooth
Wisdom of Many and the Wit of One (The)