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to wing

to wing

61 3.9
To move quickly through the air like a bird
  • verb
  • /wɪŋ/
translation icon : volar
  • With no clear plan, they began to wing their presentation, relying on their creativity to impress the audience.

Examples

  • To reach their destination, they decided to wing through the skies in a small private jet.

  • The child was delighted as the paper airplane took flight, winging gracefully through the air.

  • You know, I think we should probably just wing it.

  • I'll probably just wing it anyway.

  • Do you have pages or just want me to wing this?

  • We're all just winging it, you know?

  • There isn't clear direction, so I'm just going to kind of wing my way and button down.

  • We always wing it.

  • He'd ask the first question and I would ask the second, then we'd wing it.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Then I'll go into the class and 'wing it' as if it were spontaneous." (n35)

    Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

to fly
vsto wing
1.0

Move through the air using wings or in a plane

describes moving through air or moving swiftly as if in real flight
to soar
vsto wing
97 1.8

To fly high and freely in the air like a bird or glider

shows movement through air but focuses on swift flightlike motion rather than height
to glide
vsto wing
89 2.9

To move smoothly and without effort through the air or over a surface

is about moving through air but emphasizes swift flightlike motion
to sail
vsto wing
84 1.0

To move smoothly and easily through the air or over a surface

means moving through air or moving swiftly like real flight
to kite
vsto wing
1 6.4

To move or glide through the air like a light toy on a string

describes motion through air but less about swift forward travel and more drift
to plane
vsto wing
3.6

To glide smoothly through the air while slowly coming down

focuses on general air travel or quick flightlike movement not only descent

Antonyms

1.0

To come down and rest on a surface

Idioms

5 5.1

Flying, especially about birds or insects

1 4.2

A more experienced person looks after and guides you

Phrasal Verbs

to wing it
  • Informal
28 6.1

Do something without planning or preparation and improvise

to take wing
  • Literature
3 5.8

Begin to fly, like birds rising into the air or projects starting to do well

Compounds

76 3.8

People who support conservative political, social, and economic ideas and little change

30 1.0

The wing of a chicken cooked and eaten as a snack

19 3.9

People or groups that support more social equality and government help

7 2.6

A deep-fried chicken wing covered in spicy sauce eaten as a starter

wing nut
  • Offensive
6 9.0

A person with extreme political views that people insult

4 8.4

A senior Royal Air Force officer who is above a squadron leader and below a group captain

2 4.4

A comfortable chair with a high back and side wings to keep you warm

1 5.6

A shoe with a pointed toe and decoration on the front that looks like a W

buck-and-wing
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A lively solo tap dance with fast, energetic footwork

delta wing
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A triangular wing used on very fast jets

rotary wing
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A set of long rotating blades on a helicopter that lift it and let it hover

1 2.2

A wing of a turkey that people eat

wing loading
  • Specialized
1 8.2

The weight of a plane divided by the area of its wings

wing nut
  • Specialized
1 2.8

A small metal piece with two flat wings you turn by hand

bastard wing
  • Specialized
9.9

A small stiff group of feathers on the front edge of a bird's wing that helps control flight when landing

A small forest plant with leaves like wintergreen and pink-purple flowers

angel-wing begonia
  • Specialized
8.9

A South American plant with wing-shaped leaves and red flower clusters

A chicken wing cooked with a sweet, smoky sauce, usually grilled or baked

fore wing
  • Specialized
7.8

One of the front pair of thin parts an insect uses to fly when it has four wings

fore-wing
  • Specialized
8.2

The front wing on an insect with four wings, like a butterfly or beetle

A sea fish with large side and belly fins that glides above water

spurious wing
  • Specialized
9.1

A small group of stiff feathers on a bird's thumb that helps control flight

A fish with only its front fins made large so it can glide above the water

wing nut
  • Specialized
9.3

A tree with small winged seeds that grows near rivers in Asia

wing case
  • Specialized
7.7

A hard front shell on beetles that protects their thin back wings

9.6

A North American tree with rough, thick bumps on its branches that look like wings

wing screw
  • Specialized
5.5

A small metal part with flat side pieces you can turn by hand to hold things together

To shoot wild birds while they fly

wing-nut
  • Specialized
5.3

A metal nut with two flat wings for tightening by hand

wing-nut
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree that makes small nuts with wing-like parts that the wind carries

Having the form of a bird's wing

How Fast

zoom
3 4.1
to wing
61 3.9
dart
18 1.8
to flutter
35 3.5
to glide
89 2.9

Surface Forms

wing infinitive
winged past
winged past participle
winging present participle
wings third person singular

Etymology

Wing as a verb meaning to move quickly through the air comes from the name of the bird part that makes flying possible, so to 'wing' somewhere is to go as if you had wings, fast or smoothly.