Wildgoose chase definition in the cambridge english. Wildgoose chase article about wildgoose chase by the. The wild goose chase is a late jacobean stage play, a comedy written by john fletcher, first performed in 1621. You can complete the definition of wild goose chase given by the english definition dictionary with other english dictionaries. Wild goose chase article about wild goose chase by the free dictionary. This is the british english definition of wildgoose chase. Barbara barcaccia a, giuseppe esposito b, maria matarese c, marta bertolaso c.
Wildgoose chase dictionary definition wildgoose chase. The sheriff was sent on a wild goose chase to find the fugitive. Definition of a wildgoose chase in the idioms dictionary. The earlier meaning related not to hunting but to horse racing. Harry wondered if potts had deliberately sent him on a wild goose chase. Michel ends up on a wild goose chase trying to find a rental house of her dream. Wildgoose chase meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that you have little chance of finding, because you have been given incorrect. The director may have tried to lead us on a wild goose chase on this trompe loeil road movie, but the striking originality of a filmmaker in full possession of his means of expression cannot elude film lovers penetrating glances. The origin of the idiom wild goose chase is rooted in an old form of horse race. Definition of wildgoose chase in the idioms dictionary.
Search wild goose chase and thousands of other words in english definition and synonym dictionary from reverso. Wildgoose chase definition of wildgoose chase by the. Wikipedia, lexilogos, oxford, cambridge, chambers harrap, wordreference, collins lexibase dictionaries, merriam webster. A wild goose chase is a search that is completely unsuccessful and a waste of time because the person or. Its a wild goose chase if you try to shoot that guy. I set off an a wild goose chase for corned beef and white pudding, but having no luck, i returned to the hotel for a late lunch, and relaxed in my room for a while, including having a. Our understanding of the term differs from that in use in shakespeares day. Shakespeare might have been the first to write this phrase down, but his audience would have been familiar with the idea. If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that. A wild goose chase is a hopeless pursuit or foolish search after something that is in fact, pointless or unattainable.
Wild goose definition of wild goose by merriamwebster. Can you remember a time in the past when youve been on a hopeless quest. Definition of wild goose chase written for english language learners from the merriamwebster learners dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and countnoncount noun labels. If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that you have little chance of finding, because you have been given incorrect information. Instead of that, he had become involved in what was most likely a wild goose chase. Wild goose chase definition of wild goose chase by the. Wild goose chase definition and meaning collins english. Jonathan looking for his lost phone may be on a wild goose chase. Although this phrase is usually used specifically in instances when someone is looking for something and cant find it, it can also be used for other types of futile efforts. The phrases origin, in reality, has nothing to do with wild geese or chasing them. Trying to find the missing papers turned out to be a wild goose chase. Synonyms for wildgoose chase at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Definition and synonyms of wildgoose chase from the online english dictionary from macmillan education. Sir, again, the people in those vehicles potentially were witnesses, and never in my mind would i classify a potential witness as a wild goose chase.
Wild goose chase definition of wild goose chase at. Examples from the corpus wild goose chase i thought, dont know about a wild goose chase, this is a lame duck chase. Ask your parents or a neighbor to tell you a story about a time that they went on a wild goose chase. Wild goose chase synonyms, wild goose chase antonyms. The idiom wild goose chase goes back at least to the 1500s. Definition of wildgoosechase noun in oxford advanced american dictionary. It is often classed among fletchers most effective and bestconstructed plays. Wild goose chase definition, a wild or absurd search for something nonexistent or unobtainable. I had been on a wild goose chase this whole morning searching them in the entire house. Wild goose chase definition of wild goose chase by lexico. Qol does turn out to be an ambiguous and elusive concept a precise, clear and shared definition appears to be a long way off. We are rich and tracy marisa, and we are wild goose chasers. Edmund gosse called it one of the brightest and most coherent of fletchers comedies. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
It turns out horses looked an awful lot like geese flying in formation when they were in a wild goose chase. Both meanings then seemingly coexisted for another century or so the oxford english dictionary has unearthed a reference to a horse riding wild goose chase dating from as late as the 1690s. Wildgoose chase synonyms, wildgoose chase antonyms. Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples log in dictionary. Proper usage and audio pronunciation plus ipa phonetic transcription of the word wildgoose chase. In this article an analysis of how qol is interpreted and defined in various. Sometimes, we think some of our friends and family might favor this definition. Wild goose chase synonyms, wild goose chase pronunciation, wild goose chase translation, english dictionary definition of wild goose chase. View american english definition of wildgoose chase.
Wild goose chase definition and meaning collins english dictionary. A pursuit of something unattainable or nonexistent, such as in a fools errand or snipe hunt. An idiom is a figure of speech that is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. The wild goose chase, a 1915 american comedydrama film directed by cecil b.
The wild goose chase, a comedy stage play written by john fletcher and first published in 1621. Wildgoose chase definition is a complicated or lengthy and usually fruitless pursuit or search. I went on a wildgoose chase all over the town looking for that adapter until i discovered they no longer make them. While you were on your wild goose chase, shes having another seizure.
Definition of wildgoosechase noun in oxford advanced learners dictionary. Wild goose chase meaning of wild goose chase by lexico. Looking around the room, harry wondered if potts had deliberately sent him on a wild. A wild goose chase actually involved horses, not geese. When someone is on a wild goose chase, they are pursuing something that seems to be pointless or unattainable. Wildgoose chase definition of wildgoose chase by the free dictionary. Information and translations of wild goose chase in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Find descriptive alternatives for wild goose chase. Synonyms for wild goose chase at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions.
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