Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

eggs in moonshine

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.92 in modern English

Syllables: eggs in -moon-shine
IPA

22

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fanciful notion; an unrealistic or ludicrous concept.

Example Sentences

"You may discourse of Hermes' ascending spirit, of Orpheus' enchanting harp, of Homer's divine fury, of Tyrtaeus' enraging trumpet, of Pericles' bouncing thunderclaps, of Plato's enthusiastical ravishment, and I wot not what marvellous eggs in moonshine: but a fly for all your flying speculations when one good-fellow with his odd jests, or one mad knave with his awk hibber-gibber, is able to put down twenty of your smuggest artificial men, that simper it so nicely and coyly in their curious points."
"[…] your Majesty knows I think the Horn—and that bit of broken stone over there—and your great King Peter—and your Lion Aslan—are all eggs in moonshine."

Etymology

Probably from the name of a dish, referred to in 16th- and 17th-century English cookbooks, made of egg yolks lightly poached in sweetened rosewater. See also moonshine, culinary sense (US). https://web.archive.org/web/20160721010231/http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/eggsinmoonshine.htm

Synonyms

pie in the sky

Questions

What does eggs in moonshine mean?: A fanciful notion; an unrealistic or ludicrous concept.
Where does eggs in moonshine come from?: Probably from the name of a dish, referred to in 16th- and 17th-century English cookbooks, made of egg yolks lightly poached in sweetened rosewater. See also moonshine, culinary sense (US). https://web.archive.org/web/20160721010231/http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/eggsinmoonshine.htm

How to pronounce eggs in moonshine

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “eggs in moonshine”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “eggs in moonshine”.
Repeat and practice — Say “eggs in moonshine” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.