wild-goose chase
Meaning: A useless or difficult search.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Category: Animals
Origin: This expression is first recorded in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, and at that time actually referred to horse racing, not birds as the as the phrase might imply. In horse racing a wild-goose chase was a type of racing where the horses run in a V-like formation, similar to the way birds fly. Later, the connection to horse racing was lost in use, and people assumed the phrase came from flying geese.
More idioms — Animals
- wolf in sheep's clothing — Someone who presents himself as a harmless person, but who has intentions that are not ho…
- Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard — It's nothing special or impressive.
- Avoir le cafard — To feel depressed or down.
- Poser un lapin — To stand someone up on a date.
- Avoir d'autres chats à fouetter — To have more important things to do.
- Da steppt der Bär — It's going to be a great party.
More English idioms
- apple of one's eye — A person or thing that is precious or loved above all else.
- big cheese — An important, powerful or influential person.
- bite the dust — To be destroyed or ruined beyond repair; slang for "to die".
- bitter pill to swallow — A difficult or unpleasant reality to deal with.
- black tie — Formal dress in which men wear black bow ties and dinner jackets or tuxedos and women wea…
- chew someone out — To scold someone harshly.
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