Wind is a powerful force in nature . Wind energy is partly responsible for great waves in the world's oceans . Winds can help create powerful storms , such as tornadoes and hurricanes . From very light winds , or breezes , to strong gales , wind is a force you can't see but can surely feel . Its power can be captured to create electricity for cities and the countryside . Wind can also power many expressions in American English . Let's start with a simple one . If you run like the wind , you are a very fast runner . After running , sometimes you can feel energized . The runner gets what we call a second wind . We use this expression when we were tired , but then get more energy to finish something . For example , sometimes I feel tired after work . But after a short rest and a cup of tea , I get my second wind . I'm ready to do something fun with my friends and family . Now , people who throw caution to the wind take a chance . This means they become careless or carefree , depending on the situation . People forget what they should be doing and just do what they want to instead . Now , if you are doing something difficult , it is good to have the wind at your back . This way it is easier to go forward . It's always more difficult to do something in a strong wind -- unless you are sailing . Knowing the direction of the wind is the most important part of sailing . When wind fills a sail , it makes the boat go faster . When you or I have wind in our "sails ," we have the energy and power to do what we what . If you take the wind out of someone's sails , you keep them from reaching their objectives . You create a barrier or block them in some way . In life , it's a good idea to surround yourself with people who want to fill your sails with wind and not take it out . Wind and sailing give us another expression . If you are three sheets to the wind , you have had way too much alcohol to drink . Several websites explain that in this expression "sheets " are the ropes used to control the sails on a boat or ship . Now , let's turn from sailing to music . Many songwriters use the image of wind in their songs . If something such as an idea is blowing in the wind , it is being discussed but has yet to be decided . Does Dylan mean the answer is undecided ? Or does he mean that the answers to the problems he sings about will spread across the world like seeds carried away by the wind ? When asked in an interview , he didn't give a clear answer . He simply said the answer is “blowin ’ in the wind .” Dylan uses another "wind " expression in the song “Subterranean Homesick Blues .” But the meaning is clear when he sings "you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows ." Here , he means that you don't need someone knowledgeable or in power to confirm something for you . Just trust yourself . You can figure it out on your own . So , when you know which way the wind blows , you know what is going on . Now , some things are hard to do when there is no wind . Sailing a boat and flying a kite are two good examples . But other things are really hard to do in the wind , such as lighting a candle . That brings us to our last expression for today . A candle in the wind describes something that is weak , unprotected and likely to fail or possibly even die . In 1997 , Elton John performed a version of the song , with different wording , at the funeral of Diana , Princess of Wales . She died in a car crash in Paris while trying to escape photographers . Like Marilyn Monroe , Princess Diana was only 36 years old . Or simply practice using one or more of the expressions you heard here .