will o' the wisp
noun/ˌwɪləðəˈwɪsp/US
Etymology
From Will (“male given name”) + of + the + wisp (“a bundle of straw or hay used as a torch”)
Definitions
Any of several kinds of pale, flickering light, appearing over marshland in many parts of…
Any of several kinds of pale, flickering light, appearing over marshland in many parts of the world with diverse folkloric explanations and multiple possible scientific explanations including bioluminescence and chemiluminescence.
A delusionary or otherwise unachievable goal that one feels compelled to pursue.
- Some preliminary legal arrangements were made, but the scheme proceeded no further, as the various local authorities concerned were unwilling to speculate public funds on what was, even at that date, a will o' the wisp.
- I happen to think the brothers’ pi project is a will-o’-the-wisp, and is one of the least interesting things they’ve ever done. But what do I know?
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for will o' the wisp. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA