† windas Obs.
Forms: 3–6 wyndas (3–5 -ase, 4 -az, 4–6 -ace, 5 -asse, 5–6 -es, 6 -esse, -ys, -ais), 4–7 windas, (6 -is, -ose, -eous, Sc. -ois, 6–7 -es, 7 -us, -owes); 5 weyndas, 6 wendess.
[a. AF. windas = OF. guindas (latinized wind-, guindasium, -agium), a. ON. vindáss (whence MLG., MDu., Du. windas), f. vinda wind v.1 + áss (= Goth. ans) pole.]
1. = windlass n.1 1.
| [c 1180 in Materials Hist. Thos. Becket (Rolls) I. 300 Ligno quod nautæ windasium vocant caput rudentis circumposuere.] 1293 Acc. Exch. K.R. 5/2 m. 2 (P.R.O.), Maeremium..pro Wyndase et Wyndase Stockez. 1295 Ibid. 5/8 m. 13, xix. d. in quodam Wyndas empto..ad galeam. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12087 Somme aforced þe wyndas, Somme þe loof, somme þe bytas. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 103 Wiȝt at þe wyndas weȝen her ankres. c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 184 Ther may no man out of the place it dryue For noon engyn of wyndas ne polyue. c 1440 Partonope 4604 Goo hye yow fast to the wyndase [v.r. wyndace] And pull the Ankre vp in hast. 1515 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. V. 17 Making of crane and wyndais for fourtene pecis of artalȝery. 1578 Harl. MS. 847, lf. 53 b, Windoses for the defence of ordinaunce. 1609 in Cochran-Patrick Early Rec. Mining Scot. (1878) 149 Helping to mak and sett the windes over the somp and drawing the watter out of it. 1609 Churchw. Acc. Pittington, etc. (Surtees) 155 For bringinge the windowes and roopes from the Colledge. 1627 Capt. J. Smith's Seaman's Gram. ii. 8 A windas is a square peece of timber, like a Role before the fore Castle in small ships, and forced about with handspikes for the same vse as is the Capstaine. |
b. A winch-like contrivance used for bending a cross-bow.
| 1443 Bekynton's Corr. (Rolls) II. 235 Ibi datus erat 1 arcus de Wyndas. ? 1449 Paston Lett. I. 82, I..prey ȝw to gete som crosse bowis, and wyndacs to bynd them with. 1506 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. III. 204 For..grathing of the Kingis corsbow and windes. 1511–12 Ibid. IV. 327, vij pair wyndasis cordis. [1888 Stevenson Black Arrow i. iv, Richard had unslung his cross-bow, and held ready in one hand the windac, or grappling-iron that he used to bend it.] |
2. attrib., as
windas cord [
= OF. corde a guindas],
windas man,
windas rule;
windas-stock, a windlass-bitt.
| 1504 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. II. 466, iij pair *wyndes cordis for corsbowis. |
| 1608 in Cochran-Patrick Early Rec. Mining Scot. (1878) 149 To cover the *windes men fra the injurie of the wedder. 1641 Sc. Acts Chas. I. (1817) V. 509 Wattermen and windusmen. |
| 15.. Debate Carp. Tools 163 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 85 What, ser, seyd the *wyndas rewle, Me thinke thou arte bot a fole. 1293 *Wyndase Stockez [see 1]. 1404 Customs Acc. 180/1 (P.R.O.) 1 weyndas et weyndestok. |