pipe dream
Meaning
A desire or idea which is unlikely to materialize, or a plan which is unlikely to work; a near impossibility.
Synonyms
vain hope
castle in the sky
Translations
château en Espagne
castello in aria
luchtkasteel
ὀνειροπόληση
Spielerei ονειροπόλημα επιθυμία ονειροφαντασίαEtymology
In summary
From pipe + dream, referring to the fantasies experienced when smoking an opium pipe. Compare Old English pīpdrēam (“the sound or music of a pipe”), which is formed identically but has a different meaning.
Notes
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