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UKwild goose chase
/wˈaɪldɡˈuːs tʃˈeɪs/
/wˈaɪldɡˈuːs tʃˈeɪs/wild goose chase
[PHRASE]
What is the origin of the idiom "wild goose chase" and when to use it?
The idiom "wild goose chase" is believed to have originated in the 16th century in England. The phrase describes a type of hunting game, where hunters would pursue a flock of wild geese in a seemingly endless and fruitless pursuit. Today, the idiom is commonly used to describe a situation where someone is pursuing something that is unlikely to be achieved or is a waste of time and effort.
Examples
1. Why is it called a wild-goose chase?
2. Dear daughter, a wild-goose chase is indeed a kind of horse race.
3. In this scene, there is a different kind of wild-goose chase.
4. Nay, if thy wits run the wild-goose chase, I have done, for thou hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five.
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