close to the wind
Appearance
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkləʊs tə‿ðə ˈwɪnd/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkloʊs tə‿ðə ˈwɪnd/
- Rhymes: -ɪnd
Adjective
[edit]close to the wind (comparative closer to the wind, superlative closest to the wind)
- (figurative) Near a limit of feasibility or compliance with law or morality.
- 1983, Colin Watson, Six Nuns and a Shotgun[1], page 167:
- I mean, I shouldn't be altogether flabbergasted if you were to tell me that there had been tax fiddles here, or even something a bit close to the wind where the play and the girls are concerned.
- 2000, David S. Bell, Presidential Power in Fifth Republic France[2], page 116:
- Coming on the heels of revelations about financial and property dealings a bit close to the wind in other sections of the Gaullist Party, the authority of the Prime Minister could not but be weakened
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see close to, the, wind.
Related terms
[edit]Adverb
[edit]close to the wind (comparative closer to the wind, superlative closest to the wind)
- (nautical) In a direction almost opposite to that from which the wind is blowing.
- (figurative) Near a limit of feasibility or compliance with law or morality.
- 1850, F. W. Cukbey., “Against All Odds”, in The Dublin University Magazine[3], page 306:
- Time you want a real good friend is when you're gone just a bit close to the wind, and want to be set right again.
- 2003, Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon[4], page 150:
- Miriam's wordplay was steering fractionally too close to the wind for my liking.
- 2004, James R. Acker, David C. Brody, Criminal Procedure: A Contemporary Perspective[5], page 422:
- This means, naturally, that a prosecutor anxious about tacking too close to the wind will disclose a favorable piece of evidence.
- 2011 September 26, “Warnock slams ref as Dunne own goal gifts QPR point”, in Irish Independent:
- As far as an FA charge goes, Warnock sailed closest to the wind in his initial, expansively voiced televised criticism of Oliver—the youngest Premier League ref at 26
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see close to, the, wind.