to throw one's cap over the windmill

9.9

To make a big decision you cannot change that may be risky

idiom

Archaic

: tirar el sombrero sobre el molino

After months of hesitation, Maria finally threw her cap over the windmill and started her own company.

Examples

Deciding to move abroad was when he threw his cap over the windmill, leaving everything familiar behind.
They threw their cap over the windmill by announcing the project before securing all the necessary funding.
He decided to throw his cap over the windmill and start his own business.
When she threw her cap over the windmill, she knew there was no turning back.
After months of hesitation, Maria finally threw her cap over the windmill and started her own company.
Deciding to move abroad was when he threw his cap over the windmill, leaving everything familiar behind.
When she threw her cap over the windmill, she knew there was no turning back.

Synonyms

to double down

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

53 6.5

To try harder to continue something even when people disagree or it is risky

is about making the initial irreversible pledge rather than increasing commitment

to go all in

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

15 5.2

Put all your time, money, and effort into one plan

is a decisive irreversible commitment often involving risk

to throw caution to the wind

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

7 7.3

Do something without worrying about the risks

is a planned irreversible commitment rather than mere carefree risk taking

to cross the Rubicon

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

2 8.5

To take a decisive action that you cannot change later

highlights ongoing commitment rather than the single moment of action

to bet the house

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

1 8.5

To risk everything you own on one decision

is a decisive irreversible commitment not limited to risking possessions

to bet the ranch

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

1 8.2

To risk everything you have on one choice

is about decisive irreversible commitment rather than only high risk

to throw one's hat over the wall

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

9.9

To decide to start something difficult and not change your mind

is identical in meaning but uses a different idiom

to throw one's hat over the fence

vsto throw one's cap over the windmill

Informal

9.4

To decide to do something difficult and not stop

is an irreversible choice rather than a statement of intent

Antonyms

to withdraw

466 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

How Committed

to go all in

Informal

15 5.2

to throw one's cap over the windmill

Archaic

9.9

to commit

139 3.3

to decide

∞ 1.0

to consider

∞ 1.1

Surface Forms

throw one's cap over the windmill infinitive

throwing one's cap over the windmill present participle

throws one's cap over the windmill third person singular

threw one's cap over the windmill past

thrown one's cap over the windmill past participle

Morphology

throw + one + cap + over + the + windmill

The literal words describe physically tossing a hat over a windmill, but that concrete image does not transparently encode the idiomatic sense of making a decisive, risky, or irreversible commitment. This is a regionally rare/archaic idiom and highly metaphorical, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not reliably infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The idiom throw one's cap over the windmill may come from the image of someone throwing their cap so it lands past the turning blades of a windmill, making it hard to get back. So it means 'to make a big, final choice you cannot easily change'.