fool's errand

fool's errand

A task that has little to no chance of being successful or beneficial. Giving the baby a bath before he eats spaghetti is a fool's errand.
See also: errand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fool's errand

A fruitless mission or undertaking, as in Asking the bank for yet another loan was clearly a fool's errand. [c. 1700]
See also: errand
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

a ˌfool’s ˈerrand

a journey, task, etc. that is a waste of time because it was not necessary: Are you sending me on a fool’s errand again? The last time you sent me to get tickets, the play wasn’t even on.
An errand is a job that you do for somebody that involves going somewhere to take a message, to buy something, etc.
See also: errand
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a fool's errand
  • on a fool's errand
  • send (one) on an errand
  • send on an errand
  • sleeveless errand
  • titanic
  • rearrange
  • be like rearranging (the) deckchairs on the Titanic
  • deckchairs
  • calculated risk
References in periodicals archive
Seeking self-worth and satisfaction outside of God is the supreme fool's errand. As we embrace our identity in Jesus, however, we'll experience true fulfillment that can only come from God--the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).
It would be a fool's errand for a newspaper to appeal to politicians to stop.
Every utterance on Brexit betrays now her inner belief this is a fool's errand, a catastrophic act of national self-harm.
Getting phone manufacturers to build this fairly expensive functionality into their products was a fool's errand for Google, which only succeeded in getting the Tango platform running on a few gimmicky devices over the course of three years.
Whether you agree with Ellis or Bogle, the only logical conclusion you can make is that it is a fool's errand to think you can beat the market, and it is a fool's errand to think you can pick an active manager who can beat the market.
CRAIG LEVEIN turned up to run the rule over Hamilton against Celtic and quickly realised it was a fool's errand.
Trying to buy friends is a fool's errand. The second is untrue in both its assumptions.
But given that Trump offered few specifics for his many sweeping campaign promises, and often reversed himself throughout the election even on his core issues, such predictions seem like a fool's errand.
fire boss Hodgson But Rooney, set to win his 115th cap in Nice, equalling the country's outfield record set by David Beckham, believes plotting a route to the final is a fool's errand in a competition that has already seen surprising results from the continent's lesser lights.
But Rooney believes plotting a possible route to the final is a fool's errand in a competition that has already seen surprising results from the continent's lesser lights.
"While the Assad regime, together with Russia, Iran and their proxies, has slaughtered Syrians with impunity and changed the military facts on the ground, the administration has been on a fool's errand pleading with Vladimir Putin to negotiate a political solution to the very hostilities he perpetuates," McCain said.
In contrast, Chris Mason's "Nation-Building is an Oxymoron" does not pull its punches; it argues, flatly, nation-building is a fool's errand, and of the worst kind.
Reiterating his vow to "make 2016 a referendum on repealing Obamacare," Cruz needled members of his own party who see it as a fool's errand to try to roll back Obama's signature health-care law.
That's a fool's errand because other nations want to keep those jobs, and they ought to.
"But it's customers who will tell you what they want in a product aACA* it'll be a fool's errand to think otherwise."