close to the wind
The phrase "close to the wind" originates from sailing, where it describes a challenging maneuver, but is also used idiomatically to describe risky or borderline behavior.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2Nautical
(technical)Navigating a vessel in a direction almost against the wind while still moving forward.
Example
- The captain skillfully sailed close to the wind to reach the harbor faster.
B2General
(idiomatic)Engaging in actions that are risky, dangerous, or near the edge of legality.
Example
- He often sails close to the wind with his business practices, always on the verge of breaking the law.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "close to the wind":
sail close to the windclose todown the windclose to the bonelike the windcut it closeclose reachunder sailclose to homeclose bytrim one's sailsfollow the windin the windgo with the windon the tackturn with every windclose in