windmill

[ wind-mil ]

noun

1. any of various machines for grinding, pumping, etc., driven by the force of the wind acting upon a number of vanes or sails.
2. (loosely) a wind generator; wind plant.
3. Aeronautics. a small air turbine with blades, like those of an airplane propeller, exposed on a moving aircraft and driven by the air, used to operate gasoline pumps, radio apparatus, etc.
4. an imaginary opponent, wrong, etc. (in allusion to Cervantes' Don Quixote ):

   to tilt at windmills.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Aeronautics. (of a propeller engine or turbojet engine) to rotate or cause to rotate solely under the force of a passing airstream.

windmill

/ ˈwɪndˌmɪl; ˈwɪnˌmɪl /

noun

1. a machine for grinding or pumping driven by a set of adjustable vanes or sails that are caused to turn by the force of the wind
2. the set of vanes or sails that drives such a mill
3. Also calledwhirligig a toy consisting of plastic or paper vanes attached to a stick in such a manner that they revolve like the sails of a windmill US and Canadian namepinwheel
4. an imaginary opponent or evil (esp in the phrase tilt at or fight windmills )
5. a small air-driven propeller fitted to a light aircraft to drive auxiliary equipment Compare ram-air turbine
6. an informal name for helicopter
7. an informal name for propeller

verb

1. to move or cause to move like the arms of a windmill
2. an informal name for accommodation bill
3. intr (of an aircraft propeller, rotor of a turbine, etc) to rotate as a result of the force of a current of air rather than under power

Word History and Origins

Origin of windmill¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; wind ¹, mill ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see tilt at windmills .

Example Sentences

Again, it has that visual thinking — the windmill going backward, and the umbrella scene, all the famous moments.

From Salon

Tavia Da Costa, who was due to turn two later this month, died at a house in Windmill Court in the town.

From BBC

Tavia Da Costa, who was due to turn two this month, died at a house in Windmill Court in Dungannon on Sunday.

From BBC

Tavia Da Costa, who was due to turn two later this month, died at a house in Windmill Court in Dungannon on Sunday.

From BBC

The child died at an address in Windmill Court in Dungannon, on Sunday.

From BBC