古英語のtealt(傾く、不安定)から、原ゲルマン語の*taltaz(傾く、揺れる)に由来する。tilt, leanから派生し、さらにfight on horseback, joust on horsebackから派生し、strike, slamと抽象化された可能性もある。
So saying, and heartily recommending himself to his lady Dulcinea, whom he implored to succour him in this emergency, bracing on his target, and setting his lance in the rest, he put his Rozinante to full speed, and assaulting the nearest windmill, thrust it into one of the sails, which was drove about by the wind with so much fury, that the lance was shivered to pieces, and both knight and steed whirled aloft, and overthrown in very bad plight upon the plain. [Smollett translation, 1755]