more common than you think

The Wordnik Word of the Day for February 2, 2012 is

sciamachy
http://www.wordnik.com/words/sciamachy

(noun) A fighting with a shadow; a futile combat with an imaginary enemy; shadow-boxing.

'Sciamachy' includes the Greek 'skia,' shade, shadow, and the Greek 'makhe,' battle, fight.

 

We know how it feels.