Skip to main content
to get wind

to get wind

31 5.8
Hear about something by chance, not from official sources
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡɛt wɪnd/
translation icon : enterarse (de)
  • We need to act quickly before anyone else gets wind of our plans.

When the Kaiser got wind of this, he was royally pissed off.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The police want to keep everything quiet so the press doesn't get wind of anything.

  • I think someone got wind that you had contacted me and they took you out.

  • Either of them get wind of what we're up to.

  • Oh, that or one of the other teams got wind of our delivery and decided to help themselves.

  • I wanted to tell you my side of the story before you got wind of things.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Someone from downtown got wind of it.

  • Whether or not Edgar ever got wind of what she was up to was never made clear.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • We'd better find the source before D.C. gets wind of this.

  • If the press or authorities get wind of this, the kidnappers might panic.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The media got wind of the story and labeled these mystery objects flying saucers or flying disks.

Synonyms

to see
vsto get wind
1.0

To understand what something means

refers specifically to hearing about or becoming aware through indirect means
to hear
vsto get wind
1.0

Find out about something often by chance

is specifically about hearing or learning through informal, nonofficial routes
to find out
vsto get wind
2.1

To learn something you did not know, often by searching or asking

leans more on informal hearing rather than deliberate investigation
to learn
vsto get wind
1.0

Find out about something often by chance

stresses becoming aware through informal or accidental channels rather than study
to discover
vsto get wind
1.0

To find out about something for the first time, often by chance

highlights hearing about things indirectly rather than a formal discovery process
to pick up
vsto get wind
2.6

To learn or notice something often by chance

focuses on getting informal or unofficial information rather than careful learning
to pick up on
vsto get wind
142 3.9

To notice something that is not obvious

is more about receiving informal news rather than actively detecting subtle signs
to get the memo
vsto get wind
  • Informal
14 7.1

To learn about a rule others already know and follow it

is used for learning news informally or through unofficial channels rather than official notice
to catch wind of
vsto get wind
  • Informal
7 5.4

Hear about something from other people before official news

is about hearing something by chance or through unofficial means
to get wise
vsto get wind
7 7.0

To understand someone tricked you and become more careful

is about hearing or becoming aware, usually by chance rather than sudden insight

Antonyms

175 2.9

Not knowing that something is happening or true

How Informed

to find out
2.1
to get wind
31 5.8
to hear
1.0

Surface Forms

get wind infinitive
getting wind present participle
gets wind third person singular
got wind past
got wind past participle

Morphology

get + wind

The verb 'get' (to obtain) combined with 'wind' as a metaphor for rumor gives a partial clue — 'obtain wind' can suggest 'obtain news' — but the specific sense 'hear about' is metaphorical and not directly derivable by most B1 learners without prior exposure. Similar constructions (e.g., French 'avoir vent de') occur in other languages, which supports a partial mapping rather than full transparency.

Etymology

The phrasal verb get wind comes from the image of news moving like air: people thought important news could be 'carried on the wind', so someone could get the wind of it. So it means 'to hear about' or 'become aware of' something, often by chance.