a false dawn

false dawn

A situation that looks like it is beginning to improve when, in reality, it is not. Barb thought her marriage was beginning to improve when her husband came home in a good mood, but it proved to be a false dawn when he handed her divorce papers. Everyone was happy when they heard that they were all getting a raise, but it turned out to be a false dawn when management cut all of their hours.
See also: dawn, false
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a false dawn

mainly BRITISH, JOURNALISM
COMMON If an event is a false dawn, it seems to show that something is improving or something successful is happening, but in fact it is not. The new age of enterprise which the Government hoped would revitalise Britain in the Eighties turned out to be a false dawn. Everything they have said is sensible but we have had a lot of false dawns with this company before.
See also: dawn, false
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

a false dawn

a misleadingly hopeful sign.
A false dawn is literally a transient light in the sky which precedes the rising of the sun by about an hour, commonly seen in Eastern countries.
1992 Frank McLynn Hearts of Darkness After five weeks Clapperton seemed to recover; it proved merely a false dawn for two days later Clapperton died.
See also: dawn, false
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • false dawn
  • from soup to nuts
  • (from) soup to nuts
  • soup-to-nuts
  • beginning
  • at one's
  • at someone's
  • be with (one)
  • back to the drawing board
  • where on God's green earth
References in periodicals archive
Is Wagner a false dawn? ARE we Town fans witnessing yet another sad false dawn with the arrival of Mr Wagner?
Is Wagner a false dawn?
There's always the risk of a false dawn if players get over confident but we've seen no evidence of that on the training ground.
Quakers go out to Bury false hope
So let's be patient and realise it is not a false dawn but the start of an exciting period for Welsh rugby.
Let's be patient
As such, while this recovery is genuine in terms of economic data, and is likely to continue while sentiment is positive, it is likely to be a false dawn if subjected to a destabilising event.
False dawn over the horizon
RECENT rises in house prices are a false dawn and property values will sink again, claim researchers.
Houses 'to dip in 2010' FORECAST
If we don't continue to work hard then it could just be a false dawn."
Strachan wants more