English idiom

pipe dream

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

an unrealistic hope or plan that will almost certainly never happen

Why this phrase?

From the fantasies of 19th-century opium smokers, who dreamed through their pipes.

Example

“Winning the enterprise deal by Friday is a pipe dream at this point.”

Dictionary details

Component words

pipe dream

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

for the time being

temporarily, until circumstances change

no free lunch

everything has a cost; you cannot get something for nothing

back to square one

to return to the beginning of a task after an attempt has failed

back to the drawing board

to start planning or designing again after an idea or attempt has failed

bite off more than you can chew

to take on more work than you can handle

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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