wild goose chase
1
a pursuit or search for something that is unlikely to produce any useful result
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.
- Searching for the lost item without any leads is like going on a wild goose chase - it's unlikely that we'll find it.
- The detective is chasing down a lead that is likely to be a wild goose chase, as it's based on unreliable information.
- The team spent weeks on a wild goose chase trying to find a solution to the problem, only to realize that it was caused by a simple error.
- The detective spent months following a lead that turned out to be a wild goose chase, leading him nowhere closer to solving the case.
- Sarah's attempt to find her missing keys turned into a wild goose chase as she searched every corner of the house without any luck.