windmill

moulin à vent

Machine dont les grandes ailes tournent grâce au vent pour moudre le grain, pomper l’eau ou produire de l’énergie.

En anglais simple : 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.

Expressions courantes : old windmill, windmill blades, wooden windmill

ennemi imaginaire

Ennemi ou problème qu’une personne croit réel, mais qui n’existe que dans son imagination.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : imaginary enemy

Expressions courantes : imaginary windmill, fight a windmill, a political windmill

faire tournoyer

Faire décrire de grands cercles à quelque chose, notamment à ses bras.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : rotate, swing around

Expressions courantes : windmill your arms, windmill wildly, windmill both arms

tourner librement

Tourner librement sans être entraîné par un moteur, souvent après avoir été déconnecté.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : freewheel, spin freely

Expressions courantes : windmill freely, windmill in airflow, windmill without power