The insolvent company was wound up by court order.
He sounded wound up before the hearing.
The trustees wound up the estate after paying its debts.
Similar words
arrived
wrapped up
liquidated
finished
baited
edgy
needled
terminated
finished
concluded
Meanings
Tense or overexcited
emotion
informal
In a state of tight nervous energy, anger, or excitement.
Examples
She was too wound up to sleep after the argument.
The kids got wound up during the fireworks.
He sounded wound up before the hearing.
Everyone was still wound up after the close game.
A quiet walk helped me feel less wound up.
Similar words
tense
anxious
nervous
edgy
agitated
worked up
End in a result
everyday
informal
To arrive at a place, state, or result after events have played out, often unexpectedly.
Examples
They took the wrong bus and wound up downtown.
I wound up paying for dinner after all.
The story wound up on the front page.
He wound up as the team's captain.
Without a map, we wound up miles from the trail.
Similar words
ended up
landed
finished
arrived
resulted
Bring to an end
work
neutral
To finish a speech, meeting, performance, or process by bringing it to a close.
Examples
The host wound up the ceremony with a short thank-you.
We wound up the discussion before lunch.
The band wound up the show with its biggest hit.
She wound up her report by naming the next steps.
The class wound up with a quick quiz.
Similar words
finished
ended
concluded
closed
wrapped up
Tease or provoke
social
informal
To annoy, tease, or mislead someone on purpose, usually to get a reaction.
Examples
He wound up his sister by hiding her phone.
Stop smiling, you clearly wound me up on purpose.
The headline wound up the crowd before the vote.
She only said it because she knew it wound him up.
That fake announcement wound up half the office.
Similar words
teased
provoked
needled
riled
annoyed
baited
Close a business or affairs
business
technical
To close a company, estate, or set of affairs by settling what remains.
Examples
The insolvent company was wound up by court order.
After the sale, the partnership was wound up.
The trustees wound up the estate after paying its debts.
Several dormant subsidiaries were wound up during the merger.
The fund will be wound up once the final assets are sold.
Similar words
liquidated
closed
dissolved
settled
terminated
Tighten a mechanism
mechanical
neutral
To tighten or prepare a spring, clock, toy, window, or similar mechanism by turning it.
Examples
He wound up the old clock every Sunday.
The toy car raced forward after Mia wound it up.
She wound up the window before the rain came in.
The music box was fully wound up.
A tightly wound up spring powered the model train.
Similar words
tightened
cranked
turned
coiled
primed
Etymology
From the verb wind meaning turn or twist plus up. The mechanical idea of tightening a spring or clockwork device developed into senses of readiness, tension, completion, and later emotional provocation.
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