Wild goose chase, inc wgc was founded in 1998 by susan hagberg, who was managing commercial landscaping accounts in the chicagolands commercial real estate market. A futile search or pursuit, as in i think she sent us on a wild goose chase looking for their beach house. The origin of the idiom wildgoose chase, meaning a complicated or lengthy and usually fruitless pursuit or search, has nothing to do with the pursuit of the birdalthough we can imagine that chasing after and catching one would have its difficulties. The current sense of wildgoose chase arose both from this figurative usage and from the fact that, when the origin of the phrase was forgotten, it was reinterpreted as referring to the chasing of a wild goose. The wild goose chase in the sense of a horse race no longer occurs, but the idiom has lived on in modern english. Nov, 2019 our current use of the phrase alludes to an undertaking which will probably prove to be fruitless a hopeless quest. A pursuit of something unattainable or nonexistent, such as in a fools errand or snipe hunt the wild goose chase, a comedy stage play written by john fletcher and first published in 1621 the wild goose chase 1915 film, a 1915 american comedydrama film directed by cecil b. Wildgoose chase meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Aug 06, 2018 from wildgoose chase to throw in the towel to theres the rub, these sports idioms are part of our everyday conversation. The race involved several horses racing behind the main lead rider at a predetermined distance. Its thought that this was the first wild goose chase, before confusion over the wording of the phrasethat is, is it a wildgoose chase or a wild goosechase. A wild goose chase was a race in which horses followed a lead horse at a set distance, mimicking wild geese flying in formation. Where did the idiom going on a wild goose chase come from. Of course, when you chase wild geese, there is always the question of whether or not they are really wild.
Origin of wild goose chase this idiom is one of many that originated with shakespeare. The race more or less resembled the formation in which wild geese fly. Jul 10, 2009 the logical assumption is that the phrase simply refers to the impossibility of catching a fleeing wild goose. The wild goose chase is a late jacobean stage play, a comedy written by john fletcher, first performed in 1621. If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that. Can you remember a time in the past when youve been on a hopeless quest. Definition of wildgoose chase in the idioms dictionary.
The phrases origin, in reality, has nothing to do with wild geese or chasing them. We are proud to support local makers and independent artists. Wildgoose chase definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Wild goose chase definition and meaning collins english. This idiom originally referred to a form of 16thcentury horseracing requiring riders to follow a leader in a particular formation presumably resembling a flock of geese in flight. Nay, if our wits run the wildgoose chase, i am done. Wild goose chase how one mans obsession saved an extinct species foxes ate so many aleutian cackling geese that by 1940, the birds were thought to be extinct. 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. Synonyms for wild goose chase include bootless errand, fools errand, lost cause, merry chase, merry dance, red herring, snipe hunt, vain attempt, wasted effort and wasted labor. Each visit to our store will feel like a unique experience. Sep 22, 2002 but later the common terms origins were forgotten and a wild goose chase came to mean a pursuit of anything as unlikely to be caught as a wild goose, any foolish, fruitless, or hopeless quest. Searching for the origin of life across the universe potential life on other planetary documentary touch your heart 1,209 watching live now. Subsequent riders were to follow at different intervals. What is an idiomwhat is a wild goose chase meanwhat is.
What has long been credited as the earliest written record of a wild goose chase more on that in a minute came from william shakespeare s romeo and juliet, written sometime in the earlytomid. It is often classed among fletchers most effective and bestconstructed plays. Synonyms for wildgoose chase include bootless errand, fools errand, lost cause, merry chase, merry dance, red herring, snipe hunt, vain attempt, wasted effort and. Aug 19, 2008 take some time to read the book and then go out and chase some geese.
Apparently, back then, a wild goose chase was a horse race in which the lead rider would be pursued by other riders, which is said to be similar to how geese flying in a formation will follow the one in the lead. Its believed that this phrases origin is rooted in some type of 16th century horse racing. The very famous and historic english playwright first used this phrase in one of his most wellknown plays, romeo and juliet. From the encyclopedia of word and phrase origins by robert hendrickson facts on file, new york, 1997. Feb 17, 2020 wild goose chase plural wild goose chases figuratively a futile search, a fruitless errand. The equine connection was referred to a few years before shakespeares usage, in gervase markhams equestrian instructional manual a discource of horsmanshippe, 1593.
During this time sue began to realize that there was a real need for canada goose control services. This expression is most commonly used when someone did not achieve what he or she set out to do, usually in terms of a hunt, a search, or to discourage someone from making an unwise action that will never be accomplished. Its a peaceful day at the mushroom kingdom, and theres a horrible goose. I went on a wild goose chase all over the town looking for that adapter until i discovered they no longer make them. Edmund gosse called it one of the brightest and most coherent of fletchers comedies, a play which it is impossible to read and not be in a good humour. May 14, 2007 in modern usage, a wild goose chase is a fruitless endeavor, a hopeless quest. Jan 02, 2009 wild goose chase how one mans obsession saved an extinct species foxes ate so many aleutian cackling geese that by 1940, the birds were thought to be extinct. In a wild goose chase horse race, the lead rider galloped across the open countryside in an erratic pattern. It took marios hat away, and he and his friends want it back. The quote wild goose chase is from shakespeares romeo and juliet. A wild goose chase was a type of crosscountry horse race in which. Wildgoose chase definition of wildgoose chase by the free. Wild goose chase definition, a wild or absurd search for something nonexistent or unobtainable.
The origin of the idiom wild goose chase is rooted in an old form of horse race called wild goose chase. Definition of wild goose chase in the idioms dictionary. Wild goose chase international quilt museum lincoln, ne. The original sense was kind of horse race where one rider would lead a group of pursuers along an erratic course, much like a flock of geese might follow its leader. The wild goose chase, a comedy stage play written by john fletcher and first published in 1621. The international quilt museum is located on the university of nebraska lincolns east campus, and houses the largest publicly held quilt collection in the world. Sep 14, 2016 its thought that this was the first wild goose chase, before confusion over the wording of the phrasethat is, is it a wildgoose chase or a wild goosechase.
Synonyms for wild goose chase include fools errand, lost errand, sleaveless errand, snipe hunt, fruitless, futile, useless, vain, unproductive and unsuccessful. Ask your parents or a neighbor to tell you a story about a time that they went on a wild goose chase. Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples log in dictionary. But the original meaning of wild goose chase, when it first appeared in the late 16th century, was entirely different and presumably less frustrating. An unsuccessful search for something that does not exist or you are unlikely to discover. Apparently, back then, a wild goose chase was a horse race in which the.
The origin of unusual ducks and geese needs to be scrutinized since so many of. Because this was thought of as the phrases earliest written record, the origin of the wild goose chase has long been credited to shakespeare. Most of us have no idea where were going most of the time. Harry wondered if potts had deliberately sent him on a wild goose chase.
Wild goose chase script order now chester dreadnought bluffs his way into the crumbling stately home of an impecunious aristocratic family, and even a triggerhappy belted earl suffering from hallucinations cannot keep at bay the enterprising pair of jewel thieves who are pursuing their loot not to mention chester round the castle. Apr 03, 2020 this illustrates an example of backformation, in which people invent an origin for a word or phrase to come up with an explanation which makes sense to them, rather than researching the actual root of the idiom or word. A pursuit of something unattainable or nonexistent, such as in a fools errand or snipe hunt. Feb 19, 2020 wild goose chase definition is a complicated or lengthy and usually fruitless pursuit or search. Much like a wild goose, the spirit of god cannot be tracked or tamed. Celtic christians had a name for the holy spirit an geadhglas, or the wild goose. Origin of wild goose chase its believed that this phrases origin is rooted in some type of 16th century horse racing. The phrase wildgoose chase denotes an absurd or hopeless pursuit. Common use in the current may be the origin for the sport sense. Mar 05, 2020 a wild goose chase idiom meaning in hindi story of a wild goose chase idiom if you are eager to know where did idiom come from or what is a wild goose chase mean then, youve landed on the right.
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