# windmill

/ˈwɪndˌmɪɫ/ (US) · /wˈɪndmɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/windmill
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. traditional structure

noun · CEFR B1

a building with large wooden blades that turn in the wind to grind grain or pump water.

For teachers: a traditional structure utilizing sails or vanes to convert wind energy into rotational motion for milling or pumping.

- The old windmill on the hill was once used to grind wheat into flour.
- Preservationists worked to restore the eighteenth-century windmill, ensuring the internal wooden gears could still rotate during the annual heritage festival.

### 2. wind turbine

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a modern machine with blades that turns wind into electricity.

For teachers: a wind turbine used for power generation; technically distinct from a mill but frequently used as a synonym in general discourse.

- The fields were filled with giant white windmills producing clean energy.
- While engineers prefer the term 'wind turbine', the local community often refers to the offshore energy farm as a collection of windmills.

### 3. toy

noun · CEFR A2

a small toy on a stick with paper or plastic blades that spin when you blow on them.

For teachers: a child's toy consisting of vanes mounted on a stick that rotate when exposed to air currents.

- The toddler laughed as the colorful windmill spun around in the breeze.
- Vendors at the seaside boardwalk sold bright plastic windmills that blurred into rainbows when the children ran along the sand.

### 4. circular movement

noun · CEFR B2

a movement where you swing your arms or legs in a large circle.

For teachers: a kinetic movement in sports, dance, or music characterized by a full 360-degree rotation of the limbs.

- The guitarist finished the song with a dramatic windmill across the strings.
- The breakdancer executed a flawless windmill, transitioning from the floor rotation into a headspin without losing momentum.

### 5. imaginary enemy

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

an enemy that is not real, but someone treats it as if it is.

For teachers: an imaginary or perceived opponent, typically used in the idiom 'tilting at windmills'.

- He spent his life fighting windmills, arguing against problems that didn't exist.
- The politician was accused of tilting at windmills, wasting public resources on a perceived threat that had no basis in reality.

### 6. to rotate wildly

verb · CEFR B2

to move your arms or legs in large, fast circles.

For teachers: to move or rotate with a sweeping, circular motion, often uncontrollably.

- He fell off the boat, his arms windmilling as he tried to stay balanced.
- The cyclist's legs continued to windmill frantically even after the chain had snapped, leaving him unable to maintain his speed on the incline.

## Examples

- The old windmill still stands on the hill.
- Farmers in the region historically used the windmill to pump water from deep underground into their fields.
- The landscape is dotted with traditional windmills that once served as the primary means of processing grain for the local agricultural community.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.