tilt at windmills

Meaning

Verb

To attack imaginary enemies.
To go on a wild-goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

Related

Similar words

chase a rainbow

Origin

From a passage in the novel Don Quixote where the eponymous character tilts (i.e. jousts) at windmills that he has mistaken for giants.

Modern English dictionary

Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.

Word of the Day

Get a curated memorable word every day.

Challenge yourself

Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.

And much more

Try out Vedaist now.