▪ I. wingy, a.
(ˈwɪŋɪ)
[f. wing n. + -y1.]
† 1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling a wing or wings; wing-like. Obs.
| 1658 Sir T. Browne Gard. Cyrus iv. 66 The lower leaf [of leguminous plants] closely involving the rudimental Cod, and the alary or wingy divisions embracing or hanging over it. 1694 Addison Ovid's Met. ii. Phaeton 183 With wingy speed [they] outstrip the eastern wind. |
2. Having wings, winged (poet.); having large or conspicuous wings (cf. leggy).
| 1596 [see 4]. 1718 Rowe tr. Lucan v. 1029 If some rushing Storm the Journey cross, The wingy Leaders all are at a loss. 1757 Dyer Fleece i. 588 With tar Prevent the wingy swarm and scorching heat. 1892 ‘Michael Field’ Sight & Song 1 The Indifférent. Watteau. The Louvre... He dances on; the world is his, The sunshine and his wingy hat. 1918 [A. G. Gardiner] Leaves in Wind 2 Those wingy, nippy, intrepid insects that we call, vaguely, mosquitoes. |
3. fig. Capable of ‘flight’, soaring, aspiring; soaring out of reach, eluding grasp or comprehension.
| 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §9 Those wingy mysteries in Divinity, and airy subtleties in Religion. Ibid. §32 The noble Soule..Whose wingy nature ever doth aspire, To reach a place whence first it tooke its fire. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. v. 792 That this [etherial vehicle], being made Light, and Alate or Wingy, might no way hinder the Souls Ascent upward. 1760 Beattie Ode to Hope ii. i, Youth's gallant trophies..invite His wingy nerves to climb. 1855 Singleton æn. ii. 1121 The phantom-form..a match For wanton winds, and likest wingy [orig. volucri] sleep. |
4. Comb., as wingy-footed, wingy-heeled adjs. (cf. wing-footed, wing n. 24).
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. (ed. 2) iii. xii. 12 [Fear] fast away did fly, As ashes pale of hew, and wingyheeld [1590 winged heeld]. 1716 Rowe Ode for 1716 iii. 16 Wingy-footed was he Born. 1740 Somerville Hobbinol. i. 304 Thus on the slacken'd Rope The wingy-footed Artist..Stands tott'ring. |
▪ II. wingy, n. colloq.
(ˈwɪŋɪ)
[f. wing n. + -y6.]
A one-armed man; also (with capital initial) used as a nickname. Cf. wing n. 5 d (c).
| 1880 D. W. Barrett Navvies (ed. 2) ii. iii. 49 If a poor fellow..is short of a leg or an arm, ‘Peggy’ or ‘Wingy’ is at once affixed to him. 1910 H. Lawson Stories (1964) 2nd Ser. 296 Wingy..is a ratty little one-armed man whose case is usually described in the head-line as ‘A 'Armless Case’ by one of our great dailies. 1931 ‘D. Stiff’ Milk & Honey Route v. 58 Missions are very anxious to recruit the ‘wingies’ and ‘armies’, or the one⁓armed hobos. 1964 T. Ronan Packhorse & Pearling Boat 129 As Dad later referred to him as ‘Wingy’ Collins I presume that he had one arm amputated, or some similar disability. |