Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

wild-goose chase

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.71 in modern English

Syllables: wild--goose chase
IPA

24

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

3

Syllables

11

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.

Example Sentences

"I went on a wild-goose chase all over the town looking for that adapter until I discovered they no longer make them."
"Diagnosing this software application's problems is a wild-goose chase because it is built in an environment that has poor debugging tools."
"From the beginning he has never concealed his belief that Professor Challenger is an absolute fraud, that we are all embarked upon an absurd wild-goose chase and that we are likely to reap nothing but disappointment and danger in South America, and corresponding ridicule in England."

Etymology

Early recorded use refers to a type of 16th century horse race where everyone had to try to follow the erratic course of the lead horse, like wild geese have to follow their leader in formation. Mentioned in 1593 in the English poet Gervase Markham’s book about horsemanship. Also mentioned in the William Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, scene 4 by the character Mercutio: “Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done; for thou hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five.” Mentioned in Robert Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy (1621). Common use in the current may be the origin for the sport sense.

Inflected Forms

wild-goose chases (plural) wild goose chase (alternative)

Phrases

red herring the cake is a lie tilt at windmills chase a rainbow go off into the weeds

Frequently Paired Words

red herring the cake is a lie tilt at windmills chase a rainbow go off into the weeds

Synonyms

merry dance exercise in futility fool's errand snipe hunt snark hunt

Questions

What does wild-goose chase mean?: A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.
Where does wild-goose chase come from?: Early recorded use refers to a type of 16th century horse race where everyone had to try to follow the erratic course of the lead horse, like wild geese have to follow their leader in formation. Mentioned in 1593 in the English poet Gervase Markham’s book about horsemanship. Also mentioned in the William Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, scene 4 by the character Mercutio: “Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done; for thou hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five.” Mentioned in Robert Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy (1621). Common use in the current may be the origin for the sport sense.

How to pronounce wild-goose chase

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