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air sock

air sock

6.6
A cloth cone on a pole that shows wind direction and strength at airports
  • noun
translation icon : viento
  • The air sock at the end of the runway indicated a strong crosswind.

Examples

  • Pilots relied on the air sock to assess wind direction before taking off.

  • Airport maintenance staff replaced the torn air sock with a new one.

  • The air sock flapped vigorously in the wind.

  • Do you see that air sock over there?

  • Pilots relied on the air sock to assess wind direction before taking off.

  • The air sock at the end of the runway indicated a strong crosswind.

  • Airport maintenance staff replaced the torn air sock with a new one.

Synonyms

sock
vsair sock
28 8.2

A cone-shaped cloth tube on a pole that shows wind direction at airports

is the specific term referring to the airport cone device
windsock
vsair sock
2 5.1

A cloth cone on a pole that shows wind direction and strength, often at airports

is an alternative term for that identical device
wind sock
vsair sock
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A cloth tube on a pole that shows wind direction and strength

is the single-word or other form of the same device
wind cone
vsair sock
  • Specialized
5.5

A cloth cone on a pole that shows wind direction and strength

is the general name focusing on the device rather than the shape
wind sleeve
vsair sock
  • Specialized
7.2

A cloth cone on a pole that shows wind direction and strength

is the general device name without stressing the sleeve shape
air-sleeve
vsair sock
  • Specialized
8.9

A cone of cloth on a pole that shows wind direction, often at airports

is a nonhyphenated variation referring to the same airport device
drogue
vsair sock
  • Specialized
9.9

A cloth cone on a pole that shows wind direction and strength

is the more common everyday name for that airport indicator

How Informative

anemometer
  • Specialized
1 7.7
air sock
6.6
wind vane
  • Specialized
3.9

Surface Forms

air sock singular
air socks plural

Morphology

air + sock

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'air' (moving gas/wind) with 'sock' (a cone-like fabric tube used to show wind direction): essentially a 'sock for air' that shows wind direction and strength. This is a regular noun–noun compositional pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent senses can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Air sock is a cloth cone like a big sock that fills with air and points the way the wind blows. That's why pilots and ground staff use it to check wind 'direction' and 'strength' before takeoff.