put a finger to the wind

verb

To gauge current opinions, trends, or circumstances before making a decision.

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Meanings

verbput a finger to the wind (third-person singular simple present puts a finger to the wind, present participle putting a finger to the wind, simple past and past participle put a finger to the wind)

present singular third person puts a finger to the wind · participle present putting a finger to the wind

  1. idiomaticinformalTo gauge current opinions, trends, or circumstances before making a decision.
Cite this entry
APA

put a finger to the wind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20a%20finger%20to%20the%20wind

MLA

“put a finger to the wind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20a%20finger%20to%20the%20wind. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put a finger to the wind,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20a%20finger%20to%20the%20wind.

Source: put a finger to the wind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.