castle

a man's home is his castle

One should be the sole person in control of one's home and the happenings there. I vehemently oppose any laws that dictate how I behave in the privacy of my own home. A man's home is his castle! I just couldn't stand the way she kept nagging me over the way I behaved in my own house. A man's home is his castle, damn it!
See also: castle, home

an Englishman's home is his castle

One should be the sole person in control of one's home and the happenings there. Primarily heard in UK. I vehemently oppose any laws that dictate how I behave in the privacy of my own home. An Englishman's home is his castle!
See also: castle, home

build castles in Spain

To create dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—don't just build castles in Spain.
See also: build, castle, Spain

build castles in the air

To create dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—don't just build castles in the air.
See also: air, build, castle

build castles in the sky

To create dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—don't just build castles in the sky.
See also: build, castle, sky

castle in the air

A hope or wish, especially for one's life, that is unlikely to come true. A daydream. I really want to become a famous Hollywood actor, but I realize that it's just a castle in the air and that I shouldn't quit my day job.
See also: air, castle

castles in Spain

Dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. He keeps talking about how he'll move to Los Angeles to be a famous actor, but it's just castles in Spain if you ask me. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—it can't be all castles in Spain.
See also: castle, Spain

castles in the air

Dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—don't just build castles in the air. He keeps talking about how he'll move to Los Angeles to be a famous actor, but it's just castles in the air if you ask me.
See also: air, castle

castles in the sky

Dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. He keeps talking about how he'll move to Los Angeles to be a famous actor, but it's just castles in the sky if you ask me. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—it can't be all castles in the sky.
See also: castle, sky

king of the castle

The most powerful, successful, or authoritative person in a group or organization. After years of slowly moving up the ranks, Joe finally became king of the castle in his office. This team will be hard to beat, reigning as king of the castle for three years straight.
See also: castle, king, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

build castles in the air

 and build castles in Spain
Fig. to daydream; to make plans that can never come true. Ann spends most of her time building castles in Spain. I really like to sit on the porch in the evening, just building castles in the air.
See also: air, build, castle

man's home is his castle

Prov. Cliché One can do whatever one wants to in one's own home. Don't tell me not to go around the house in my underwear. A man's home is his castle. I'll play my radio loud if I want to. A man's home is his castle.
See also: castle, home
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

castles in the air

Also, castles in Spain. Dreams about future success, as in Musing about the bestseller list, she was apt to build castles in the air. The first term dates from the late 1500s. The variant, castles in Spain (or chateaux en Espagne), was recorded in the Roman de la Rose in the 13th century and translated into English about 1365.
See also: air, castle
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

castles in the air

If you describe someone's plans as castles in the air, you mean that they are not realistic and have no chance of succeeding. `Along the way, I intend to become very rich.' He shook his head in wonder at her. `You're building castles in the air, Anne.' This could be seen as an admission that Carter's election promises were just castles in the air.
See also: air, castle

an Englishman's home is his castle

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED
When people say an Englishman's home is his castle, they mean that British people believe they have the right to do what they want in their own home, and that other people or the state should not interfere in their private lives. He clearly holds a view that an Englishman's home is his castle and he is entitled to take any steps necessary to secure that.
See also: castle, home
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

build castles in the air (or in Spain)

have a visionary and unattainable scheme; daydream.
The concept was known to St Augustine ( 354–430 ), who uses the phrase subtracto fundamento in aere aedificare meaning ‘build on air without foundation’. Castles in the air has been the version predominant in English since the late 16th century, but castles in Spain , from Old French châteaux en Espagne , was used in the late medieval period and occasionally in more recent times. The form of the saying in Old French, known from the 13th century, may refer to the fact that much of Spain in the Middle Ages was under Moorish control, so any scheme to build castles there was clearly unlikely to succeed.
See also: air, build, castle

an Englishman's home is his castle

an English person's home is a place where they may do as they please and from which they may exclude anyone they choose. British proverb
See also: castle, home
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

(build) ˌcastles in the ˈair

(have) plans, hopes, etc. which are unlikely to become reality: They talked about moving to Australia, but they knew they were really only building castles in the air.
See also: air, castle

an ˌEnglishman’s ˌhome is his ˈcastle

(British English) (American English a ˌman’s ˌhome is his ˈcastle) (saying) a person’s home is a place where they can be private and safe and do as they like
See also: castle, home
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a man's home is his castle
  • man's home is his castle
  • an Englishman's home is his castle
  • Englishman
  • might is right
  • pull rank
  • pull rank (on one)
  • by (one's) lights
  • lay down the law
  • lay down the law, to
References in classic literature
They have the castle, though I know not how it hath come to pass, Look from this window into the bailey."
They hold the whole castle, for I see their faces at the windows.
"The castle is taken and on fire, the seneschal is slain, and there is nought left for us."
"You can tell us, Godfrey," said Du Guesclin to the French squire: "how came these men into the castle, and what succors can we count upon?
"There is a passage under the earth into the castle," said he, "and through it some of the Jacks made their way, casting open the gates for the others.
The attention of the insurgents had been drawn away from murder to plunder, and all over the castle might be heard their cries and whoops of delight as they dragged forth the rich tapestries, the silver flagons, and the carved furniture.
The White Company
The apartment in which the Saxon chiefs were confined, for to them we turn our first attention, although at present used as a sort of guard-room, had formerly been the great hall of the castle. It was now abandoned to meaner purposes, because the present lord, among other additions to the convenience, security, and beauty of his baronial residence, had erected a new and noble hall, whose vaulted roof was supported by lighter and more elegant pillars, and fitted up with that higher degree of ornament, which the Normans had already introduced into architecture.
``What mummery is this?'' said Cedric; ``think you that we are ignorant whose prisoners we are, when we are in the castle of your master?
It was repeated three times, with as much violence as if it had been blown before an enchanted castle by the destined knight, at whose summons halls and towers, barbican and battlement, were to roll off like a morning vapour.
Ivanhoe
Tomorrow he might be assaulting the ramparts of her father's castle, but today he was joyously offering to sacrifice his life for her--had she been the daughter of a charcoal burner he would have done no less--it was enough that she was a woman and in need of protection.
"I know the castle well," answered Norman of Torn, and the shadow of a grim smile played about his lips, for scarce sixty days had elapsed since he had reduced the stronghold, and levied tribute on the great baron.
They reached the castle of De Stutevill late in the afternoon, and there Norman of Torn was graciously welcomed and urged to accept the Baron's hospitality over night.
"That fiend, Norman the Devil, with his filthy pack of cut-throats besieged us for ten days, and then took the castle by storm and sacked it.
His stay at the castle of Stutevill was drawn out to three days, and then, on the third day, as he sat with Bertrade de Montfort in an embrasure of the south tower of the old castle, he spoke once more of the necessity for leaving and once more she urged him to remain.
You shall see me again, and at the castle of your father, Simon de Montfort, in Leicester.
The Outlaw of Torn