rewind

1 of 2

verb

re·​wind (ˌ)rē-ˈwīnd 

rewound (ˌ)rē-ˈwau̇nd  ; rewinding

transitive verb

: to wind again

especially : to reverse the winding of

rewind film

rewind

2 of 2

noun

re·​wind ˈrē-ˌwīnd 

(ˌ)rē-ˈwīnd

1

: something that rewinds or is rewound

2

: an act of rewinding

3

: a function of an electronic device that reverses a recording to a previous portion

Examples of rewind in a Sentence

Verb

Rewind the tape so that we can hear that song again.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Both focus on four friends (in addition to Jen, Carrie and Jizz, Carrie’s ex Kash can rewind and, as of this season, fast-forward time) attempting to overcome their hang-ups while clumsily swimming their way toward self-improvement. —Jen Chaney, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2024

But right before the finale, the story rewound to 1923, revealing how the menacing Korean gangster Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho) first came to work for a Yakuza boss, and depicting the two of them as survivors of that year’s Great Kanto Earthquake. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2024

Noun

The player’s kid-friendly controls add to the fun: Squeeze an ear to raise or lower the volume, tap the sides to change chapters, and tilt the device to fast-forward or rewind. —Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024

Spoilers aside, Double Exposure weaves a narrative of how their breakup impacts Max’s inability to use her rewind powers in the game. —Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1717, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rewind

1 of 2 verb

re·​wind rē-ˈwīnd 

rewound -ˈwau̇nd  ; rewinding

: to wind again

especially : to reverse the winding of (as a video tape)

rewind

2 of 2 noun

re·​wind ˈrē-ˌwīnd 

: a function of an electronic device that reverses a recording to a previous portion