wild-goose chase
/'waild,gu:s't eis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A futile or hopeless pursuit; a pointless search for something that cannot be found or achieved: A "wild-goose chase" is a task or activity that is a waste of time because it has no chance of success. The phrase evokes the idea of chasing after wild geese, which are difficult to catch and lead the pursuer on a long, erratic, and ultimately unsuccessful path.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- Trying to find a parking spot downtown during the festival turned into a complete wild-goose chase.
- The detective realized the anonymous tip had sent him on a wild-goose chase, wasting valuable time.
- Searching for the author of that anonymous manuscript is a wild-goose chase; the records were lost centuries ago.
Advanced Usage
- "to be on a wild-goose chase": to be engaged in a futile pursuit.
- I think we're on a wild-goose chase looking for that rare book in these small shops.
- "to send someone on a wild-goose chase": to cause someone to engage in a futile pursuit, often deliberately.
- The prankster sent his friend on a wild-goose chase across town for a fictional restaurant.
Variants and Related Words
- Fool's errand (noun phrase): a task or activity that has no hope of success.
- Asking him to be on time was a fool's errand.
- Snipe hunt (noun phrase, chiefly North American): a practical joke or futile task involving the search for an imaginary object.
- The new recruits were sent on a snipe hunt as an initiation ritual.
Synonyms
- Futile pursuit
- Hopeless quest
- Vain endeavor
- Fruitless search
Related Phrases
- Chasing rainbows: Pursuing an unrealistic or unattainable goal.
- He's chasing rainbows if he thinks he can become a concert pianist without years of practice.
- On a hiding to nothing (chiefly British): Involved in a situation where one cannot succeed.
- Trying to please everyone is a hiding to nothing.
Noun
- the fruitless pursuit of something unattainable