Also: Catch wind of something
Meaning of Idiom ‘Get Wind of (Something)’
To get wind of something means to learn about it or hear about it, usually through rumors or unofficial sources. 1Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.,2Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.,3Bengelsdorf, Peter. Idioms in the News – 1,000 Phrases, Real Examples. N.p.: Amz Digital Services, 2012.
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Usage
If a person “got wind of impending layoffs at his company,” this would not mean that the company had officially announced that employees were going to be laid off, but only that rumors a layoff were being passed around.
Examples of Use
“If you get wind of Sam’s whereabouts, let me know.”
“It is important that the suspect doesn’t get wind of the search warrant before the police serve it. He might dispose of important evidence.”
“If I catch wind of any more of your misbehaving in class, young man, I’ll ground you for a month.”
Origin
Used since the first half of the 1800’s, the allusion is to an animal becoming aware of a scent carried on the air. 4Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
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