Wild goose chase
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A wild goose chase is an errand or wrong direction given to someone as a diversion from some original objective. It is a slang term.
[edit] Origin
In the 16th century, a new horse race called the "wild-goose chase" was invented in England. The lead horse could go in any direction, and the other horses had to follow accurately at precise intervals (like wild geese following a leader). Hence, a figurative "wild goose chase" originally meant an erratic course taken by one person and followed by another. Shakespeare used the term in this sense.
Later, the term's origins were forgotten, and a "wild goose chase" came to mean "a pursuit of something as unlikely to be caught as a wild goose"; a foolish or hopeless quest.[1]
Another theory is that a literal "wild goose chase" was originally a task given to children - "Go find a wild goose" - to keep them busy so adults could get some peace and quiet.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Robert Hendrickson, Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins. Facts on File, New York, 1997. Reprinted at http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/15/messages/448.html
