WOUND UP

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does wound up mean? 

• WOUND UP (adjective)
  The adjective WOUND UP has 1 sense:

1. brought to a state of great tension

  Familiarity information: WOUND UP used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WOUND UP (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Brought to a state of great tension

Synonyms:

aroused; wound up

Context example:

all wound up for a fight

Similar:

tense (in or of a state of physical or nervous tension)

 Context examples 

The second dog-watch and the day were wound up by a fight between Johansen and the lean, Yankee-looking hunter, Latimer.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"I know he is a good one," added Mrs. March, with decided approval, as she wound up the clock.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

After we had both laughed heartily, Traddles wound up by looking with a smile at the fire, and saying, in his forgiving way, “Old Creakle!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The science team says there are two main theories that may explain how K2-33b wound up so close to its star.

(NASA's K2 Finds Newborn Exoplanet Around Young Star, NASA)

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) I feel tense or 'wound up.'

(HADS - I Feel Tense or Wound Up, NCI Thesaurus)

These were thrilling words, and wound up Catherine's feelings to the highest point of ecstasy.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

And with a quivering lip he wound up the whole by adding, "Poor Fanny! she would not have forgotten him so soon!"

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

It was her public place: there she met her acquaintance, heard a little news, talked over the badness of the Portsmouth servants, and wound up her spirits for the six days ensuing.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

In the latter, as may be remembered, Sherlock Holmes was able, by winding up the dead man’s watch, to prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time—a deduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the case.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Finally he described, amongst some merriment, the ingenious but highly dangerous aeronautic invention of Professor Challenger, and wound up a most memorable address by an account of the methods by which the committee did at last find their way back to civilization.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)