winding-up
C1/C2Formal, Legal, Financial
Definition
Meaning
The formal process of closing and liquidating a company or partnership.
The act of bringing something to an end or conclusion, especially in a gradual or deliberate manner.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a legal term; the hyphenated form 'winding-up' is standard as a noun, especially in legal contexts. The verb form is typically 'wind up' (phrasal verb).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used in both legal systems, but the specific procedures and associated terminology (e.g., 'liquidation' in the UK, often 'Chapter 7' or 'Chapter 11' in the US for different processes) differ. 'Winding-up' as a compound noun is more common in UK English.
Connotations
Strongly associated with insolvency and financial failure, though can be used for solvent voluntary closures.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK financial and legal news. In US English, 'liquidation' or 'dissolution' may be more common in general discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[company] + faced + winding-up[creditor] + petitioned for + the winding-up of + [company]The court + ordered + the winding-up of + [business]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To wind up a company”
- “To be wound up”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The board recommended a members' voluntary winding-up to distribute assets.
Academic
The study analysed the socio-economic impacts of compulsory winding-up orders on small suppliers.
Everyday
After decades, the family decided on the winding-up of the shop.
Technical
The winding-up process involves the appointment of a liquidator who realizes the company's assets.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The directors will wind up the solvent subsidiary next quarter.
- If losses continue, we may be forced to wind up the operation.
American English
- The partners decided to wind up the venture and split the remaining assets.
- The state can petition a court to wind up a fraudulent business.
adjective
British English
- A winding-up petition was advertised in The Gazette.
- The firm is under winding-up proceedings.
American English
- The winding-up phase must comply with federal bankruptcy code.
- He specialized in winding-up cases for financial institutions.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The winding-up of the club was sad for all its members.
- Creditors filed a winding-up petition after the company defaulted on its loans.
- The intricate winding-up of the multinational's assets across jurisdictions took several years to complete.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a clock being wound up to its final tick; a company being 'wound up' is brought to its final, closed state.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOSING A BUSINESS IS FINISHING A MECHANICAL PROCESS (e.g., winding up a clock or a toy until it stops).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'развитие' (development/winding as in a road). The correct legal/financial equivalent is 'ликвидация'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'winding-up' to mean starting something (confusion with 'wind up' meaning to excite).
- Omitting the hyphen in the noun form, writing 'winding up petition'.
- Using it as a verb without the particle ('The court winding-up the company' is incorrect; correct is 'The court wound up the company').
Practice
Quiz
In a legal context, what is a 'winding-up order'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Winding-up' is the process of closing and liquidating a company. Bankruptcy is a legal status of an individual or entity that cannot repay debts, which often leads to winding-up for a company.
Yes, but it is less common and formal. It can mean bringing something to a gradual end, e.g., 'the winding-up of the festival's activities'.
Winding-up is the process of settling affairs and liquidating assets. Dissolution is the final, legal step that extinguishes the company's existence after winding-up is complete.
In the noun form, especially when used attributively (e.g., winding-up petition), the hyphen is standard in formal writing to avoid ambiguity.