windmill

noun wind·mill \ ˈwin(d)-ˌmil \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Definition of windmill

1 a : a mill or machine operated by the wind usually acting on oblique vanes or sails that radiate from a horizontal shaft; especially : a wind-driven water pump or electric generator

b : the wind-driven wheel of a windmill

2 : something that resembles or suggests a windmill; especially : a calisthenic exercise that involves alternately lowering each outstretched hand to touch the toes of the opposite foot

[from the episode in Don Quixote by Cervantes in which the hero attacks windmills under the illusion that they are giants]

: an imaginary wrong, evil, or opponent —usually used in the phrase to tilt at windmills

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Recent Examples of windmill from the Web

But his Quixote does not tilt at windmills like in the book.

— ruthe stein, SFChronicle.com, "‘Sesame Street’ star Emilio Delgado picks up the sword as Don Quixote at Cal Shakes," 8 June 2018
To the mainstream scientific community, Dorman’s quest is quixotic at best, tilting at windmills made of glycoproteins and RNA.

— adam rogers, WIRED, "The Man Who Says Science Blew Its Best Shot at an AIDS Vaccine," 1 June 2018
There are a multitude of beaches for swimming in blue waters (though only one, Mandraki, is sandy, as opposed to rocky), as well as historic sites—including old monasteries, stone windmills, and great stone manors that date back to the 18th century.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Car-Free Destinations for Your Next Island Vacation," 1 June 2018
Then in a video from Monday, the center bounced the ball off a guy’s face before catching it en route to scoring a windmill dunk on him.

— keith pompey, Philly.com, "Sixers' Joel Embiid's playground antics could cost him part of his contract if he gets hurt," 29 May 2018
Embiid casually bounces a ball off a poor defender's face, collects the ball and then finishes with a windmill dunk.

— pete grathoff, kansascity, "Joel Embiid bounces ball off guy's face, dunks during pickup game in Philly," 28 May 2018
Harden hops up, lays down a dance move in those red sneakers of his, and runs and jumps and throws down an emphatic windmill dunk.

— michael powell, New York Times, "Rockets vs. Warriors: The Dead Live Again in Houston," 17 May 2018
Grahm once wrote a ten-thousand-word poem with himself in the role of a character called Don Quijones—and so, given the scale of this year’s windmills, any small sign of reassurance raises his spirits.

— adam gopnik, The New Yorker, "A Vintner’s Quest to Create a Truly American Wine," 14 May 2018
Dancers pirouette, jump, make windmill arms and line-dance in apparent carefree abandon.

— marcia manna, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Choreographer Mark Morris interprets 50-year-old ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ songs as dance," 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'windmill.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.