# What does the phrase "in the wind" mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246 "2019-10-24T18:11:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/1 "2019-10-24T18:11:10Z")
The phrase/idiom “in the wind.” What does it mean to you when you hear it? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/2 "2019-10-24T18:16:56Z")
“gone; disappeared; unable to be found, generally on purpose” That’s one definition. It can also mean “indications that it may happen soon”, but not “inevitable; imminently about to happen”, I don’t know why you would think it means that. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/3 "2019-10-24T18:18:55Z")
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/4 "2019-10-24T18:20:58Z")
I voted context dependent. Like TriPolar says, if it referring to a person it means: “gone; disappeared; unable to be found, generally on purpose”. If it’s referring to an idea or possibility of an event or bit of gossip, it means: it’s out there, it exists, maybe not widely known, or easy to attribute. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/5 "2019-10-24T18:22:41Z")
I think it means can’t find the handle. Hard to grasp. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/6 "2019-10-24T18:23:14Z")
Riding your motorcycle, among other things. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/7 "2019-10-24T18:45:56Z")
The context that first springs to mind is a fugitive who has disappeared. “Where’s Mike ‘the Hammer’ Malone, Detective Stevens?!” “In the wind, Sarge.” ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/8 "2019-10-24T18:54:22Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That’s one definition. It can also mean “indications that it may happen soon”, but not “inevitable; imminently about to happen”, I don’t know why you would think it means that. I encountered someone who used it in that manner and I was not familiar with that usage of the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/9 "2019-10-24T19:00:05Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I encountered someone who used it in that manner and I was not familiar with that usage of the phrase. Do you mean “inevitable; imminently about to happen”? I can see people mistaking it for that after hearing it about events which did actually occur. Or perhaps mixing up their metaphors, but I think ‘the wind’ is more representative of uncertainty than certainty. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/10 "2019-10-24T19:00:56Z")
I’m familiar with two meanings. 1. Gone. If I said “Joe’s in the wind.” it would mean that Joe left. It usually implies Joe left quietly and his departure wasn’t noticed as it happened. 2. There are rumors going around. If I said “There’s firings in the wind.” it would mean there are rumors about people being fired but no official announcements yet. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/11 "2019-10-24T19:04:32Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > I think it means can’t find the handle. Hard to grasp. Yeah, I voted other. It’s not imminent, but not totally gone either. I’d define it as elusive or potential. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/12 "2019-10-24T19:09:16Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind. And apart from these lyrics, I have never heard “blowing in the wind” used in any context at all. Maybe things like “fluttering in the breeze,” to mean indecisive or uncaring, but not “blowing in the wind.” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/13 "2019-10-24T19:18:40Z")
Context. Anything similar I’ve heard worked out to: helpless. As in a leaf in the wind. Or in the case of a paratrooper who is tangled in his static line: flappin’ in the wind. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/14 "2019-10-24T19:26:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > “gone; disappeared; unable to be found, generally on purpose” I’ve always associated that with **into** the wind, as in the fugitive went into the wind. However, in the wind means something is going to happen ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/15 "2019-10-24T19:28:33Z")
I voted ‘gone’ as that’s what it almost always means to me. But I suppose context dependent would have been more accurate in retrospect. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/16 "2019-10-24T19:30:32Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > I’ve always associated that with **into** the wind, as in the fugitive went into the wind. > > However, in the wind means something is going to happen Into the wind is about football passing and kicking conditions 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/17 "2019-10-24T19:59:39Z")
The one that comes to mind is along the lines of “there’s something in the wind” meaning something might happen, rumour, potential, uncertainty, that sort of thing. or perhaps the immortal quote of one Mr. E. Rooney esq. > [@](#): > > I did not achieve this position in life by having some snot-nosed punk leave my cheese out in the wind make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/18 "2019-10-24T20:49:23Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind. I was going to say: It’s that thing that the answer is blowin’ in. But you had to go and spoil it. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/19 "2019-10-24T22:31:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 1. There are rumors going around. If I said “There’s firings in the wind.” it would mean there are rumors about people being fired but no official announcements yet. I’ve always heard this as “There’s firings in the _air_” ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246/20 "2019-10-24T23:06:06Z")
ISTM the expression “in the air” (also?) means “all around us”, as the Christmas spirit might be said to be “in the air.” But when things are “up in the air” they’re currently unsettled, but may soon be resolved. That’s English for you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-phrase-in-the-wind-mean-to-you/842246.md?page=2)