Meaning
A steep shaft for such purposes as: to join two levels in a mine; or to explore greater depths when considering whether to open a new level; or to permit forced ventilation of deeper levels.
Etymology
Origin: Unknown
Alteration of the plural noun winds, 1757.
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2023, 2024.