pie in the sky

Meaning

Noun

A fanciful notion; an unrealistic or ludicrous concept; the illusory promise of a desired outcome that is unlikely to happen.

Adj

Alternative form of pie-in-the-sky.

Synonyms

castle in the air

Translations

حلم؛ شيء بعيد المنال

châteaux en Espagne

luchtkasteel

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpaɪ ɪn ðə ˈskaɪ/

Etymology

The phrase is originally from the song “The Preacher and the Slave” (1911) by Swedish-American labor activist and songwriter Joe Hill (1879–1915), which he wrote as a parody of the Salvation Army hymn “In the Sweet By-and-By” (published 1868). The song criticizes the Salvation Army for focusing on people’s salvation rather than on their material needs:
: You will eat, bye and bye,
: In that glorious land above the sky;
: Work and pray, live on hay,
: You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.