will o' the wisp
Pronunciation
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003
Pronunciation
- (America) IPA: /ˌwɪləðəˈwɪsp/
will o' the wisp
- (British folklore) A strange light that attracts travellers from pathways into dangerous marshes or graveyards.
- 1988, Michael Weikath, "Keeper of the Seven Keys", Helloween, Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II.
- quote en
- 1988, Michael Weikath, "Keeper of the Seven Keys", Helloween, Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II.
- (idiomatic) A delusionary or otherwise unachievable goal that one feels compelled to pursue.
- 1992 March 2, Richard Preston, The New Yorker, "The Mountains of Pi" ↗:
- 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?
- 1992 March 2, Richard Preston, The New Yorker, "The Mountains of Pi" ↗:
- (strange light) ignis fatuus, spooklights, ghost lights, nightfire; hinkypunk (west Country dialect); jack o'lantern (US); walking fire
- French: feu follet
- German: Irrlicht, Sumpflichter
- Italian: fuoco fatuo
- Portuguese: fogo-fátuo, fogo tolo, fogo corredor (Brazil), João Galafoice (Brazil), boitatá (Brazil)
- Spanish: fuego fatuo, luces de muerto (Costa Rica)
- French: miroir aux alouettes
- Italian: fuoco fatuo
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003