windmill

風車

風で大きな羽根を回し、穀物をひいたり、水をくみ上げたり、発電したりする機械。

やさしい英語で： 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.

よく使う表現： old windmill, windmill blades, wooden windmill

架空の敵

本人は実在すると信じているが、想像の中にしか存在しない敵や問題。

やさしい英語で： 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.

類義語： imaginary enemy

よく使う表現： imaginary windmill, fight a windmill, a political windmill

ぐるぐる回す、振り回す

特に腕などを、大きな円を描くように動かす。

やさしい英語で： 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.

類義語： rotate, swing around

よく使う表現： windmill your arms, windmill wildly, windmill both arms

空転する

動力との接続が外れるなどして、モーターに駆動されずに回る。

やさしい英語で： 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.

類義語： freewheel, spin freely

よく使う表現： windmill freely, windmill in airflow, windmill without power