second wind
noun phrase

- a return of strength or energy that makes it possible to continue in an activity that needs a lot of effort

Cambridge Dictionary

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ORIGIN

Wind, meaning “air in motion”, is the Old English wind, from Proto-Germanic winda.

Originally the pronunciation of wind rhymed with “kind”, but this shifted to a short vowel in the 18th century, probably from the influence of “windy”, where the short vowel is natural. A sad loss for poets, who now must rhyme wind only with sinned, skinned, Wunderkind,… and a handful of weak words.

The meaning “breath” is attested from late Old English (12th century). “Breath in speaking” and “easy or regular breathing” is from early 14th century.

“Second wind” in the figurative sense used in OWAD today, appeared by 1830.

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SECOND IDIOMS

- play second fiddle = to be subordinate to someone (Jim won’t play second fiddle to Jack because he has more experience)

- on second thought = to have given something extra thought (On second thought, I’d like to have dessert)

- second thoughts = to have doubts about something (I’m having second thoughts about buying a new car)

- second nature = easy and natural for someone (David can repair any kind of machine. It’s second nature to him)

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“Talking of SECOND WIND,… a very effective fitness method is to go running for 30 minutes every day, and if you haven’t done it, just add the time to the next day. This works really well — tomorrow, for example, I go running for two weeks.”

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THANKS to Chris for triggering today’s OWAD.

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HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-3

and,

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40