tilt

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [usually +adv./prep.] to move, or make sth move, into a position with one side or end higher than the other: [V] Suddenly the boat tilted to one side * The seat tilts forward, when you press this lever. * [VN] His hat was tilted slightly at an angle. * She tilted her head back and looked up at me with a smile. 2 to make sth/sb change slightly so that one particular opinion, person, etc. is preferred or more likely to succeed than another; to change in this way: [VN] The hot conditions may tilt the balance in favour of the Kenyan runners. * [V] Popular opinion has tilted in favour of the socialists. IDIOMS tilt at windmills to waste your energy attacking imaginary enemies ORIGIN From Cervantes' Don Quixote, in which the hero thought that the windmills he saw were giants and tried to fight them. PHRASALVERBS tilt at sb/sth (BrE) to attack sb/sth in speech or writing: a satirical magazine tilting at public figures tilt at sth (BrE) to try to win sth: He was tilting at the top prize. noun 1 a position in which one end or side of sth is higher than the other; an act of tilting sth to one side: The table is at a slight tilt. * He answered with a tilt of his head. 2 an attempt to win sth or defeat sb: She aims to have a tilt at the world championship next year. IDIOMS (at) full tilt / pelt as fast as possible