Meaning
a futile or hopeless pursuit; a waste of time searching for something unlikely to be found
Primary Function
Futility description
Communicative Purpose
To indicate wasted effort
Pattern
a wild goose chase
Core Structure
a wild goose chase
Função primária
Futility description
Propósito comunicativo
To indicate wasted effort
Situações de gatilho
Misleading leads, impossible quests
Contextos
Investigations, projects
Padrão
a wild goose chase
Estrutura central
a wild goose chase
Slots de substituição
none
Colocados típicos
- send us on
- turned out to be
- ending up on
Substituições comuns
- a fool’s errand
Erros comuns
a chase of wild geese
Similar / contraste
a dead end
Interferências
Literal translations may confuse learners, as the phrase does not involve actual geese; translating word-for-word can obscure its idiomatic meaning
Família do chunk
- go on a wild goose chase
- send someone on a wild goose chase
- fool's errand
Nuance
Informal and often used to criticize someone's effort as pointless or misdirected
Efeito pragmático
Expresses criticism or warns against wasting effort on a futile pursuit
Dica de memória
Picture a goose leading you on an endless chase
Nota
Used to describe a pointless or futile search or effort
Upgrade path
a futile pursuit
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