quixotic

quix·ot·ic (kw

k-s

k) also quix·ot·i·cal (-

-k

adj.

1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality.

2. Capricious; impulsive: "At worst his scruples must have been quixotic, not malicious" (Louis Auchincloss).

[From English Quixote, a visionary, after Don Quixote, hero of a romance by Miguel de Cervantes.]

quix·oti·cal·ly adv.

quixo·tism (kw

-t

m) n.

quixotic [kwɪkˈsɒtɪk]

adj

preoccupied with an unrealistically optimistic or chivalrous approach to life; impractically idealistic

[after Don Quixote]

quixotically adv

quixotism [ˈkwɪksəˌtɪzəm] n

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj.

quixotic - not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic; "as quixotic as a restoration of medieval knighthood"; "a romantic disregard for money"; "a wild-eyed dream of a world state"

wild-eyed, romantic

impractical - not practical; not workable or not given to practical matters; "refloating the ship proved impractical because of the expense"; "he is intelligent but too impractical for commercial work"; "an impractical solution"

quixotic

adjective unrealistic, idealistic, romantic, absurd, imaginary, visionary, fanciful, impractical, dreamy, Utopian, impulsive, fantastical, impracticable, chivalrous, unworldly, chimerical He lived his life by a quixotic code of honour.

Translations

quixotic [kwɪkˈsɒtɪk] ADJ → quijotesco

quixotic [kwɪkˈsɒtɪk] adj → chimérique

quixotic

adj behaviour, gesture etc → edelmütig, ritterlich; ideals → schwärmerisch, idealistisch; a foolish quixotic act → eine Donquichotterie; don’t you find that a little quixotic? → finden Sie das nicht etwas versponnen?

quixotic [kwɪkˈsɒtɪk] adj (frm) → donchisciottesco/a

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Dictionary browser	?		Full browser	?
behavior crazy dreamy idealism idealistic immediate Immediateness impractical knight errantry knight-errant knight-errantry quixotically quixotism romantic unrealistic visionary wild-eyed	An author who had much to do with preparing me for the quixotic folly in point was that Thomas Babington Macaulay, who taught simplicity of diction in phrases of as "learned length and thundering sound," as any he would have had me shun, and who deplored the Latinistic English of Johnson in terms emulous of the great doctor's orotundity and ronderosity. My Literary Passions by Howells,William Dean View in context Well, my quixotic one, you shall tell me anything--say, as soon as we are settled in our lodging; not now. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - A Pure Woman by Hardy, Thomas View in context She is ready prey to any man who knows how to play adroitly either on her affectionate ardor or her Quixotic enthusiasm; and a man stands by with that very intention in his mind--a man with no other principle than transient caprice, and who has a personal animosity towards me-- I am sure of it--an animosity which is fed by the consciousness of his ingratitude, and which he has constantly vented in ridicule of which I am as well assured as if I had heard it. Middlemarch by Eliot, George View in context	quitch grass quitclaim quitclaim deed quite quite a quite a little quite an Quitly Quito Quito orange quitrent quits Quittable Quittal quittance quitter quittor Quitture quiver Quivered quiverful quivering Quiveringly Quivira Quixote quixotic quixotically quixotism Quixotry quiz quiz program quiz show quizmaster Quizzer quizzical quizzically Quizzing glass quizzism Qum Qumran Qungur quo vadis quo warranto Quob quod quod erat demonstrandum Quoddies quodlibet quodlibetarian Quodlibetical Quoif	quiveringly quiveringly quiveringly Quivermaker Quivermaker Quivermaker quivers quivers quivers quivery quivery quivery Quivira Quivira Quivira Quivira and Cíbola Quivira and Cíbola Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Quivira Scout Ranch Quixell Quixil Quixin Quixote Quixote Quixote Quixote Transportation Technologies, Inc. Quixote, Don Quixote, Don Quixote, Don quixotic quixotical quixotical quixotically quixotically quixotism quixotism quixotisms quixotisms Quixotry Quixotry quiz quiz quiz quiz quiz about Quiz Average Quiz bowl Quiz Bowl Practice Notes Quiz game Quiz game Quiz League of London Quiz Magic Academy Quiz Material Manager Role quiz on quiz out quiz program quiz show quiz show Quiz Show (film) Quiz Show (movie)

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behavior
crazy
dreamy
idealism
idealistic
immediate
Immediateness
impractical
knight errantry
knight-errant
knight-errantry
quixotically
quixotism
romantic
unrealistic
visionary
wild-eyed

An author who had much to do with preparing me for the quixotic folly in point was that Thomas Babington Macaulay, who taught simplicity of diction in phrases of as "learned length and thundering sound," as any he would have had me shun, and who deplored the Latinistic English of Johnson in terms emulous of the great doctor's orotundity and ronderosity.

My Literary Passions by Howells,William Dean View in context

Well, my quixotic one, you shall tell me anything--say, as soon as we are settled in our lodging; not now.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles - A Pure Woman by Hardy, Thomas View in context

She is ready prey to any man who knows how to play adroitly either on her affectionate ardor or her Quixotic enthusiasm; and a man stands by with that very intention in his mind--a man with no other principle than transient caprice, and who has a personal animosity towards me-- I am sure of it--an animosity which is fed by the consciousness of his ingratitude, and which he has constantly vented in ridicule of which I am as well assured as if I had heard it.

Middlemarch by Eliot, George View in context

quixotic playV2('en/US/dh/dhsjssd5s5sgsosldrgk');playV2('en/UK/dh/dhsjssd5s5sgsosldrgk')

quixotic