windmill

Windmühle

Eine Maschine mit großen, vom Wind gedrehten Flügeln, die Getreide mahlt, Wasser pumpt oder Energie erzeugt.

In einfachem Englisch: A machine with large blades turned by wind, used to grind grain, pump water, or produce power.

• The windmill turns in the wind.
• An old windmill once ground grain here.
• These windmills pump water for the farm.

Häufige Wendungen: old windmill, windmill blades, wooden windmill

eingebildeter Feind

Ein Feind oder Problem, das jemand für wirklich hält, obwohl es nur in seiner Vorstellung existiert.

In einfachem Englisch: An enemy or problem that someone believes is real although it exists only in their imagination.

• The enemy he feared was merely a windmill.
• She wasted years fighting political windmills.
• His campaign attacked windmills while real problems went unsolved.

Synonyme: imaginary enemy

Häufige Wendungen: imaginary windmill, fight a windmill, a political windmill

kreisen lassen, herumwirbeln

Etwas, besonders die Arme, in großen Kreisen bewegen.

In einfachem Englisch: To move something, especially your arms, in large circles.

• He began to windmill his arms.
• She windmilled wildly as she lost her balance.
• The dancer was windmilling both arms above his head.

Synonyme: rotate, swing around

Häufige Wendungen: windmill your arms, windmill wildly, windmill both arms

frei drehen

Sich ohne Motorantrieb frei drehen, häufig nachdem die Verbindung zum Antrieb getrennt wurde.

In einfachem Englisch: To turn freely without being driven by a motor, often after becoming disconnected.

• The propeller continued to windmill.
• The disconnected wheel windmilled for a few seconds.
• Airflow kept the blades windmilling after the engine stopped.

Synonyme: freewheel, spin freely

Häufige Wendungen: windmill freely, windmill in airflow, windmill without power