1. A movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
   "The eagle spread its wings and soared"
    
2. One of the horizontal airfoils on either side of the fuselage of an aeroplane
   "The plane's wings glistened in the sunlight as it took off"
    
3. The wing of a fowl
   "he preferred the drumsticks to the wings"
    
4. (military) a unit of military aircraft
   "The wing conducted a bombing mission"
    
5. The side of a military or naval formation
   "they attacked the enemy's right wing";
   - flank
    
6. (in flight formation) a position to the side and just to the rear of another aircraft
   "The fighter jets flew in a tight formation with two planes on each wing"
    
7. An addition that extends a main building
   "The school built a wing to accommodate the growing number of students";
   - annex, annexe [Brit], extension
    
8. A stage area out of sight of the audience
   "The actors waited in the wings for their cue";
   - offstage, backstage
    
9. A group within a political party or legislature or other organization that holds distinct views or has a particular function
   "they are the progressive wing of the Republican Party"
    
10. [Brit] A barrier that surrounds the wheels of a vehicle to block splashing water or mud
    "The car's wings were covered in mud after driving on the dirt road";
    - fender
     
11. A hockey player stationed in a forward position on either side
    "The left wing scored a crucial goal in the final period"

1. Travel through the air; be airborne
   "The geese winged south for the winter";
   - fly
    
2. Propel through the air
   "He winged the paper aeroplane across the room";
   - throw
    
3. [informal] Move or travel very quickly
   "He winged down the hall to receive his guests";
   - rush, hotfoot, hasten, hie [archaic], speed, race, pelt along [informal], rush along, bucket along [informal], belt along [informal], step on it [informal], travel rapidly, hurry, zip [informal], zoom, zoom along [informal], whizz [informal], whizz along [informal], bucket [informal], belt [informal], barrel [informal], rocket [informal], pelt [informal]
    
4. [informal] Perform without preparation
   "he winged a speech at the wedding"; "The actor had to wing it when he forgot his lines";
   - improvise, improvize [non-standard], ad-lib, extemporize, extemporise [Brit], wing it [informal]
    
5. Injure slightly (as with a gunshot), especially in the arm or leg
   "The bullet winged him as he fled"
    
6. Bring down a bird by shooting in the wing
   "The hunter winged the duck, but it managed to escape"

Derived forms: wings, winged, winging

Type of: addition, add-on, aerofoil [Brit], air unit, airfoil [N. Amer], barrier, control surface, do, execute, formation, go, helping, hockey player, ice-hockey player, impel, improver, locomote, move, organ, perform, place, portion, position, propel, serving, social group, stage, surface, travel

Part of: aeroplane [Brit], air division, airplane [N. Amer], angel, auto [informal], autocar [archaic], automobile [N. Amer], bat, bird, birdie [informal], building, car, chiropteran, division, edifice, flittermouse [archaic], fowl, insect, motor [Brit, informal], motorcar, plane, wheel [informal], whip [US, informal]

Encyclopedia: Wing, Paul