I am looking from an english phrase, I heard it several times already, but probably did'nt catch it. I understood it like a way to make fun of someone who is proud of a ridiculous achievement (e.g. a small kid). It would be like "there is no weed/wind you can't blow". I can't find it anywhere.
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It might be helpful if you told us what variety of English you heard the phrase in eg American, Australian, Indian, British...– SpagirlSep 1, 2016 at 14:23
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I heard it once from a British football supporter, France was beating Germany but England had already lost, and another time in an american tv show. Unless I misunderstood both (I am french).– marmousetSep 1, 2016 at 14:26
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1Are you thinking of "know which way the wind blows"? This expression can literally describe knowing which way the wind blows (which would be relevant in a European football match) or can be used metaphorically to describe a perception of favor for one side or another, a usage which derives from wind direction having dramatic consequences for sailors and farmers. An idiom which uses this expression is, "You don't need to be a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows," which can be used to express that the opportunity in a given situation is obvious.– R MacSep 1, 2016 at 14:44
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4What it reminds me of is blow (toot) your own horn (trumpet) which carries the sense of "proud of a ridiculous achievement." Perhaps what you heard was something like "You will use any excuse to blow your own horn."– cobaltduckSep 1, 2016 at 14:54
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1I wonder if the English supporter was quoting or misquoting Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, "Any way the wind blows" (doesn't really matter to me). After all the outcome of the match was pretty unimportant to English fans by that time.– BoldBenOct 4, 2016 at 11:48
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2 Answers
It sounds like the proverb it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good, also cited as it's an ill wind that blows no good. It means
An action or occurrence must be very bad (ill) indeed if it brings nothing good to anyone.
The implication is that, when something is bad, someone else will usually benefit. However, it must be very bad, when nobody at all benefits.
Wiktionary.org
But I am not sure it fits the circumstances cited.
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This usage is predicated on an established notion that bad actions or occurrences generally do result in something favorable for someone--and therefore must be very bad to result in nothing good for anyone. While this doesn't disqualify it as a possible answer to the question, it's an added bit of context for this term that readers should bear in mind.– R MacSep 1, 2016 at 14:48
Perhaps "He is such a blowhard, there is no wind he can't blow."
More wind references from Cassels Dictionary of Slang: Windbag - mid 19th Century: a braggart. Windy Wallets - late 19th Century: loquacious, talkative, self aggrandizing person. Blow Bag (1920s): loud-mouthed braggart. Windgat - (slang from the 1980s): a braggart.
