wound

¹

[woond, wound]

noun

1. an injury, usually involving division of tissue or rupture of the integument or mucous membrane, due to external violence or some mechanical agency rather than disease.

   Synonyms: trauma, lesion, laceration, stab, cut

2. a similar injury to the tissue of a plant.

3. an injury or hurt to feelings, sensibilities, reputation, etc.

   Synonyms: anguish, pain, insult

verb (used with object)

1. to inflict a wound upon; injure; hurt.

   Synonyms: lacerate, stab, cut, damage, harm

verb (used without object)

1. to inflict a wound.

wound

²

[wound]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of wind and wind.

wound

¹

/ wuːnd /

noun

1. any break in the skin or an organ or part as the result of violence or a surgical incision

2. an injury to plant tissue

3. any injury or slight to the feelings or reputation

verb

1. to inflict a wound or wounds upon (someone or something)

wound

²

/ waʊnd /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of wind 2

Other Word Forms

• wounder noun
• woundless adjective
• woundingly adverb
• woundable adjective
• wounding adjective
• woundedly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wound¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English wund; cognate with Old High German wunta ( German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds; (verb) Middle English wounden, Old English wundian, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wound¹

Old English wund; related to Old Frisian wunde, Old High German wunta (German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lick one's wounds, to attempt to heal one's injuries or soothe one's hurt feelings after a defeat.

see lick one's wounds; rub in (salt into a wound).

Synonym Study

See injury.

Example Sentences

The 82-year-old had been spotted with a wound on the right side of his head in recent days.

From BBC

There was no immediate official report of casualties from Thursday night's earthquake, but medics on the ground told the BBC that 17 wounded people were brought to Kunar Provincial Hospital.

From BBC

“When I watch television last night, and I’m watching the news and I see that nine people were killed in Chicago and 54 were badly wounded with bullets, I say, ‘That’s not our country.

From Salon

Inspired by the experience, she wound up playing in one five years later, scoring two goals and assisting on two others to help the U.S. win its second of four championships.

From Los Angeles Times

She had also been punched several times and had other wounds suggesting she tried to defend herself from a knife attack.

From BBC

Related Words

• bruise 
• cut 
• damage 
• grief 
• laceration 
• lesion 
• pain 
• shock 
• trauma