Asked in: SSC MTS 2025
tilting at windmills in SSC previous-year questions
- SSC MTS 2025 Idioms & Phrases
Which of the following idioms given in the alternatives has the meaning?
To be wasting time fighting enemies or trying to resolve issues that are imaginary, unimportant, or impossible to overcome.Answer & explanation
Answer: A) Be tilting at windmills
Correct Answer: Be tilting at windmills (Option 1)
'Be tilting at windmills' means to waste time and energy fighting imaginary enemies or struggling against problems that are not real, not important, or impossible to solve. The phrase originates from Cervantes' Don Quixote, where the hero mistakes windmills for giants and attacks them.
Why the other options are wrong:
Option 2 - 'Fling one's bonnet over the windmill' means to act recklessly or throw caution to the wind.
Option 3 - 'Fling one's cap over the windmill' also means to act recklessly or impulsively, not to fight imaginary enemies.
Option 4 - 'Fling one's hat over the windmill' carries a similar meaning of reckless abandon, unrelat
tilting at windmills – questions
Has tilting at windmills been asked in SSC exams?
Yes – tilting at windmills has been asked in SSC exams: SSC MTS 2025.