English in a Minute: Wild Goose Chase

Why would Anna and Jonathan be chasing geese?
Welcome to English in a Minute!

This, my friends, is a goose.

Wild goose chase

Oh boy. Why are Anna and Jonathan chasing waterfowl?

Person 1: How was your weekend?

Person 2: Well, I spent it with my friends who are trying to find the perfect spot for their wedding.

Person 1: That sounds...fun. [Person 2 rolls eyes] Or maybe not?

Person 2. It was a wild goose chase. He wants a big place. She wants a small place. He wants city. She wants country.

Person 1: So, did they find a place?

Person 2: No…in fact, they’ve decided to wait.

A “wild goose chase” is a search for the impossible. This expression comes from Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet.” Back then, it described a kind of horse race. But these days, it just means a hopeless -- and frustrating – search.

And that’s English in a Minute!


Originally published at - https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...