Obs. Forms: 3–6 wyndas (3–5 -ase, 4 -az, 4–6 -ace, 5 -asse, 5–6 -es, 6 -esse, -ys, -ais), 4–7 windas, (6 -is, -ose, -eous, Sc. -ois, 6–7 -es, 7 -us, owes): 5 weyndas, 6 wendess. [a. AF. windas = OF. guindas (latinized wind-, guindasium, -agium), a. ON. vindáss (whence MLG., MDu., Du. windas), f. vinda WIND v.1 + áss (= Goth. ans) pole.]
1. = WINDLASS sb.1 1.
[c. 1180. in Materials Hist. Thos. Becket (Rolls), I. 300. Ligno quod nautæ windasium vocant caput rudentis circumposuere.]
1293. Acc. Exch. K. R., 5/2 m. 2 (P.R.O.). Maeremium … pro Wyndase et Wyndase Stockez. Ibid. (1295), 5/8 m. 13. xix. d. in quodam Wyndas empto … ad galeam.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 12087. Somme aforced þe wyndas, Somme þe loof, somme þe bytas.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 103. Wiȝt at þe wyndas weȝen her ankres.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 184. Ther may no man out of the place it dryue For noon engyn of wyndas ne polyue.
c. 1440. Partonope, 4604. Goo hye yow fast to the wyndase [v.r. wyndace] And pull the Ankre vp in hast.
1515. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., V. 17. Making of crane and wyndais for fourtene pecis of artalȝery.
1578. Harl MS. 817, lf. 53 b. Windoses for the defence of ordinaunce.
1609. in Cochran-Patrick, Early Rec. Mining Scot. (1878), 149. Helping to mak and sett the windes over the somp and drawing the watter out of it.
1609. Churchw. Acc. Pittington, etc. (Surtees), 155. For bringinge the windowes and roopes from the Colledge.
1627. Capt. J. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., ii. 8. A windas is a square peece of timber, like a Role before the fore Castle in small ships, and forced about with handspikes for the same vse as is the Capstaine.
b. A winch-like contrivance used for bending a cross-bow.
1443. Bekynton’s Corr. (Rolls), II. 235. Ibi datus erat 1 arcus de Wyndas.
1449[?]. Paston Lett., I. 82. I … prey ȝw to gete som crosse bowis, and wyndacs to bynd them with.
1506. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., III. 204. For … grathing of the Kingis corsbow and windes. Ibid. (1511–2), IV. 327. vij pair wyndasis cordis.
[1888. Stevenson, Black Arrow, I. iv. Richard had unslung his cross-bow, and held ready in one hand the windac, or grappling-iron that he used to bend it.]
2. attrib., as windas cord [= OF. corde a guindas], man, rule; windas-stock, a windlass-bitt.
1504. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 466. iij pair *wyndes cordis for corsbowis.
1608. in Cochran-Patrick, Early Rec. Mining Scot. (1878), 149. To cover the *windes men fra the injurie of the wedder.
1641. Sc. Acts Chas. I. (1817), V. 509. Wattermen and windusmen.
15[?]. Debate Carp. Tools, 163, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 85. What, ser, seyd the *wyndas rewle, Me thinke thou arte bot a fole.
1293. *Wyndase Stockez [see 1].
1404. Customs Acc., 180/1 (P.R.O.). 1 weyndas et weyndestok.
