second wind

What it means

A second wind is a fresh burst of energy or motivation that comes after a person was feeling tired or ready to give up. It's used about athletes who recover mid-race, students late at night, projects that revive after a slump, and careers that find new purpose after a difficult period.

Examples

• I hit a wall around mile ten, but then I got my second wind.
• After a tough quarter, the team got a second wind from the new contract.
• She found a second wind in her career after taking a sabbatical.
• Around midnight I always get a second wind and start working again.

Where it comes from

An English phrase from 19th-century athletic writing, especially long-distance running and rowing, where 'wind' meant breath or stamina. The literal observation about runners regaining breath after exhaustion broadened into a general metaphor.

Related idioms