What is "to wind off"

Wind \Wind\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wound (wound) (rarely Winded); p. pr. & vb. n. Winding.] [OE. winden, AS. windan; akin to OS. windan, D. & G. winden, OHG. wintan, Icel. & Sw. vinda, Dan. vinde, Goth. windan (in comp.). Cf. Wander, Wend.]

1. To turn completely, or with repeated turns; especially, to turn about something fixed; to cause to form convolutions about anything; to coil; to twine; to twist; to wreathe; as, to wind thread on a spool or into a ball.

   Whether to wind The woodbine round this arbor.
   --Milton.

2. To entwist; to infold; to encircle.

   Sleep, and I will wind thee in arms.
   --Shak.

3. To have complete control over; to turn and bend at one's pleasure; to vary or alter or will; to regulate; to govern. ``To turn and wind a fiery Pegasus.''
   --Shak.

   In his terms so he would him wind.
   --Chaucer.

   Gifts blind the wise, and bribes do please And wind all other witnesses.
   --Herrick.

   Were our legislature vested in the prince, he might wind and turn our constitution at his pleasure.
   --Addison.

4. To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate.

   You have contrived . . . to wind Yourself into a power tyrannical.
   --Shak.

   Little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse.
   --Gov. of Tongue.

5. To cover or surround with something coiled about; as, to wind a rope with twine. To wind off, to unwind; to uncoil. To wind out, to extricate. [Obs.] --Clarendon. To wind up.

   1. To coil into a ball or small compass, as a skein of thread; to coil completely.

   2. To bring to a conclusion or settlement; as, to wind up one's affairs; to wind up an argument.

   3. To put in a state of renewed or continued motion, as a clock, a watch, etc., by winding the spring, or that which carries the weight; hence, to prepare for continued movement or action; to put in order anew. ``Fate seemed to wind him up for fourscore years.''
      --Dryden. ``Thus they wound up his temper to a pitch.''
      --Atterbury.

   4. To tighten (the strings) of a musical instrument, so as to tune it. ``Wind up the slackened strings of thy lute.''
      --Waller.