Wind idioms

Here are some idiomatic expressions using the word ‘wind’.

Knock the wind out of somebody

To knock the wind out of somebody is to make them breathless.

• The blow knocked the wind out of me.

Catch / get the wind of someone

To catch or get the wind of someone is to be aware of their presence.

• If the deer catches wind of us, he will run into the woods.
• How could he have got wind of our plans? (= How could he have got information about our plans?)

A lot of wind

If something is a lot of wind, it is empty talk or boasting

• The challenger says that he will knock out the champion in the first round, but that is a lot of wind.