▪ I. ˈwind-break, n.
Also windbreak.
[f. wind n.1 + break n.1]
1. Something, esp. a row of trees, used to break the force of the wind, or serving as a protection against it. orig U.S.
| 1861 Trans. Ill. Agric. Soc. IV. 479 These trees, which are valuable as shade and wind-breaks, should be planted. 1868 Rep. U.S. Comm. Agric. (1869) 196 Among evergreen plants the Norway spruce (Abies excelsa) is the most valuable where a high, strong wind-break is necessary. 1883 W. H. Bishop in Harper's Mag. Mar. 502/1 A young orchard.., sheltered by a wind-break of three rows of ash⁓trees. 1894 Chamb. Jrnl. 7 July 425 The margin of virgin hummock left standing to act as a wind-break. 1910 W. Schlich Man. Forestry (ed. 4) II. 123 Species with a thin crown are indifferently adapted for wind breaks. 1934 Times Educ. Suppl. 10 Feb. p. iv/3 Whether as ornament or to secure privacy, as a windbreak or to indicate a boundary, a hedge has its place in most gardens. 1950 N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. July 5/3 Such a wind⁓break is very valuable for sheltering dipped sheep. 1962 Coast to Coast 1961–62 138 An old limestone place, with a slate roof, and a windbreak of pepper-trees at one side. 1968 Southerly XXVIII. 172 The pine trees acted as a wind-break for the solitary house set a hundred yards lower down. 1970 J. H. B. Peel Country Folk ii. 38 A hedge serves as a windbreak for crops and as a nesting⁓place for birds. 1975 Toronto Star 27 Dec. d4/1 So except in balmy weather, be sure to tote a plastic or canvas wind⁓break. 1981 Farmstead Mag. Winter 49/1 Some people prefer deciduous trees in all or part of the windbreak. |
2. A rippling change of colour produced by the wind passing over foliage. nonce-use.
| 1892 Stevenson Across the Plains 205 The silver wind-breaks run among the olives. |
▪ II. ˈwind-break, v. rare.
[f. wind n.1 11 d + break v. 12 b.]
trans. To break the wind of, render broken-winded.
| 1638 Ford Fancies ii. ii, 'Twould wind-breake a moyle, or a ring'd mare, to vie burthens with her. |
So ˈwind-ˌbroken, a. = broken-winded.
| 1603 Florio Montaigne ii. xvii. 373 A restie and wind⁓broken jade. 1667 Phil. Trans. II. 545 A wind-broken Dog or Horse. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4453/4 Stoln.., one large black Mare,..Wind broken. 1805 C. James Milit. Dict. (ed. 2). 1851 Mayne Reid Scalp Hunters xxiii, She [sc. the mare] was badly wind-broken. |