wind-up

See also: windup and wind up

English

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wind-up

Wikipedia

wind-up (plural wind-ups)

The end or conclusion of something.
Everyone is invited to our end-of-term wind-up party.
- 1822, A Morning in Cork-Street: or, Raising the wind, page 102:
  The wind-up is, that the father becomes bankrupt; the wife and daughters town-traders; the sons Greeks, Fancy-swells, Conveyancers (pickpockets), or Cracksmen (house breakers), and the New Drop is the last drop they ever take.
- 2017 October 3, Mark Walsh, “A “view” from the courtroom: A big windup on partisan gerrymandering”, in SCOTUSblog‎^[1]:
  After this long windup, Smith says, “Is there a question there, your honor?” He says it not in an evasive way, but with a smile.
The punch line of a joke or comedy routine.
(British) A humorous attempt to fool somebody; a practical joke in which the victim is encouraged to believe something untrue.
- 1999, Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? (film)
  "Is this a wind-up, or what?" "No, no, it's true. He can really do it."
(baseball) The phase of making a pitch where the pitcher moves his or her arm backwards before throwing the ball.
- 1975: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (movie)
  He's into his wind-up. Here comes the pitch. Strike on the inside corner!
(television) A circular hand gesture, supposed to represent the winding on of film, used to signal to a performer to finish quickly.

end or conclusion of something

humorous attempt to fool somebody

wind-up (not comparable)

(of a machine) Needing to be wound up in order to function.
- 1997, Daria (TV, episode 1.07):
  Maybe you could get a wind-up toy to distract him.

needing to be wound up in order to function