pie in the sky

An impossible, unlikely, or fanciful idea or plan. Often hyphenated. He keeps talking about how he'll move to Los Angeles to be a famous actor, but it's just pie in the sky if you ask me. If you'd spend more time working and less time coming up with these pie-in-the-sky fantasies, you might actually get somewhere in life!

See also: pie, sky

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

pie in the sky

1. Fig. a future reward after death, considered as a replacement for a reward not received on earth. Don't hold out for pie in the sky. Get realistic. If he didn't hope for some heavenly pie in the sky, he would probably be a real crook.

2. Fig. having to do with a hope for a special reward. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) Get rid of your pie-in-the-sky ideas! What these pie-in-the-sky people really want is money.

See also: pie, sky

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

pie in the sky

An empty wish or promise, as in His dream of being hired as a sports editor proved to be pie in the sky. This expression was first recorded in 1911 in a rallying song of a union, the International Workers of the World (or "Wobblies"): "Work and pray, live on hay, you'll get pie in the sky when you die."

See also: pie, sky

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

pie in the sky

COMMON If you describe an idea, plan, or promise as pie in the sky, you mean that it is very unlikely to happen. Targets set for oil production now look like pie in the sky. Ideally what I would like to see would be free childcare, but I think that's a bit pie in the sky at the moment. Note: You can also use pie-in-the-sky before a noun. Changes are a real possibility. This is not pie-in-the-sky stuff. Note: This expression comes from the song `The Preacher and the Slave' (1911) by Joe Hill, an American songwriter and workers' organizer: `You'll get pie in the sky when you die. (That's a lie.)'

See also: pie, sky

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

pie in the sky

something that is agreeable to contemplate but very unlikely to be realized. informal

This phrase comes from a 1911 song by the American labour leader Joe Hill ( 1879–1915 ), in which a preacher tells a slave: ‘Work and pray, live on hay, You'll get pie in the sky when you die’.

See also: pie, sky

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌpie in the ˈsky

(informal) ideas that are not practical; false hopes or promises: Most voters know that the big promises which politicians make before an election are just pie in the sky. He says he’s going to make a movie in Hollywood, but I think it’s all pie in the sky.This comes from a song written in 1911 by Joe Hill, who worked to improve the rights of workers in America. The song criticizes religion for creating false hopes in the poor:‘Work and pray, Live on hay, You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.’

See also: pie, sky

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

pie in the sky

1. n. a reward; a special heavenly reward. If he didn’t hope for some heavenly pie in the sky, he would probably be a real crook.

2. mod. having to do with a hope for a special reward. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) Get rid of your pie-in-the-sky ideas!

See also: pie, sky

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

pie in the sky

An empty wish or promise: "To outlaw deficits ... is pie in the sky" (Howard H. Baker, Jr.)

See also: pie, sky

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

pie in the sky

The promise of the good life in a future that never arrives. The term comes from a rallying song of the International Workers of the World, or Wobblies, “The Preacher and the Slave” (1911), that may have been written by their martyred organizer, Joe Hill (he was killed by the police). It went, “You will eat, bye and bye, in the glorious land above the sky! Work and pray, live on hay, you’ll get pie in the sky when you die.” The Wobblies, of course, wanted their “pie” in the form of decent wages and working conditions, in this life. This sentiment was echoed by boxing champion Muhammad Ali, who was quoted as saying, “You don’t want no pie in the sky when you die, you want something here on the ground while you’re still around” (1978).

See also: pie, sky

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

See also:

once in a lifetime
third world
in depth
every woman for herself
first hand
carrot
carrot and stick
carrot-and-stick
bleeding edge
black tie

References in periodicals archive

He's 40-1 with bet365 which is a better price, but no use for a pie in the Sky line.

RESULT!: First out Big Sam isn't pie in the Sky; IN ASSOCIATION WITH betfair.com

The findings were treated as pie in the sky yesterday by the manufacturers of the national delicacy.

SCOTCH PIE STUDY JUST HALF-BAKED

But if anyone thinks it's all just pie in the sky and the idea of a healthy pasty won't take off in Scotland, then think again.

IT'S PIE TREASON; Our Scotch pastry faces a de-grease in popularity

PIE in the Sky star Richard Griffiths is fighting back to health after being under 24-hour care in hospital.

Griffiths, who played gourmet cop Inspector Henry Crabbe in BBC1's Pie in the Sky, went into hospital near his West Midlands home for round-the- clock supervision.

PIE IN SKY TV STAR HAS HEALTH SCARE

Gourmet cop series Pie In The Sky has been given the chop.

Richard is not hap-pie

Now she can be seen as Richard Griffiths' new waitress in the on-going success story Pie In The Sky - the only TV series where cooks and crooks get equal billing.

Marsha's sights set on goal

That's Nicky Henson's advice as he gets to grips with a bottle or three in this week's Pie In The Sky.

YES TO DRAMA, NO TO DRAMS

Horse-mad star Richard Griffiths gets under starter's orders with the return of the series Pie In The Sky.

Richard loves horsing around

When she guests in tonight's episode of Pie In The Sky, Phyllis is cast as the fiercely ambitious Detective Superintendent Chalmers.

Life after Lovejoy; After playing posh Lady Jane, Phyllis Logan's career is all pie in the sky, as JOHN MILLAR discovers

词组	pie in the sky
释义	pie in the sky pie in the sky An impossible, unlikely, or fanciful idea or plan. Often hyphenated. He keeps talking about how he'll move to Los Angeles to be a famous actor, but it's just pie in the sky if you ask me. If you'd spend more time working and less time coming up with these pie-in-the-sky fantasies, you might actually get somewhere in life! See also: pie, sky Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. pie in the sky 1. Fig. a future reward after death, considered as a replacement for a reward not received on earth. Don't hold out for pie in the sky. Get realistic. If he didn't hope for some heavenly pie in the sky, he would probably be a real crook. 2. Fig. having to do with a hope for a special reward. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) Get rid of your pie-in-the-sky ideas! What these pie-in-the-sky people really want is money. See also: pie, sky McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. pie in the sky An empty wish or promise, as in His dream of being hired as a sports editor proved to be pie in the sky. This expression was first recorded in 1911 in a rallying song of a union, the International Workers of the World (or "Wobblies"): "Work and pray, live on hay, you'll get pie in the sky when you die." See also: pie, sky The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. pie in the sky COMMON If you describe an idea, plan, or promise as pie in the sky, you mean that it is very unlikely to happen. Targets set for oil production now look like pie in the sky. Ideally what I would like to see would be free childcare, but I think that's a bit pie in the sky at the moment. Note: You can also use pie-in-the-sky before a noun. Changes are a real possibility. This is not pie-in-the-sky stuff. Note: This expression comes from the song `The Preacher and the Slave' (1911) by Joe Hill, an American songwriter and workers' organizer: `You'll get pie in the sky when you die. (That's a lie.)' See also: pie, sky Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. pie in the sky something that is agreeable to contemplate but very unlikely to be realized. informal This phrase comes from a 1911 song by the American labour leader Joe Hill ( 1879–1915 ), in which a preacher tells a slave: ‘Work and pray, live on hay, You'll get pie in the sky when you die’. See also: pie, sky Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary ˌpie in the ˈsky (informal) ideas that are not practical; false hopes or promises: Most voters know that the big promises which politicians make before an election are just pie in the sky. He says he’s going to make a movie in Hollywood, but I think it’s all pie in the sky.This comes from a song written in 1911 by Joe Hill, who worked to improve the rights of workers in America. The song criticizes religion for creating false hopes in the poor:‘Work and pray, Live on hay, You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.’ See also: pie, sky Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary pie in the sky 1. n. a reward; a special heavenly reward. If he didn’t hope for some heavenly pie in the sky, he would probably be a real crook. 2. mod. having to do with a hope for a special reward. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) Get rid of your pie-in-the-sky ideas! See also: pie, sky McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions pie in the sky An empty wish or promise: "To outlaw deficits ... is pie in the sky" (Howard H. Baker, Jr.) See also: pie, sky American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. pie in the sky The promise of the good life in a future that never arrives. The term comes from a rallying song of the International Workers of the World, or Wobblies, “The Preacher and the Slave” (1911), that may have been written by their martyred organizer, Joe Hill (he was killed by the police). It went, “You will eat, bye and bye, in the glorious land above the sky! Work and pray, live on hay, you’ll get pie in the sky when you die.” The Wobblies, of course, wanted their “pie” in the form of decent wages and working conditions, in this life. This sentiment was echoed by boxing champion Muhammad Ali, who was quoted as saying, “You don’t want no pie in the sky when you die, you want something here on the ground while you’re still around” (1978). See also: pie, sky The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: once in a lifetime third world in depth every woman for herself first hand carrot carrot and stick carrot-and-stick bleeding edge black tie References in periodicals archive He's 40-1 with bet365 which is a better price, but no use for a pie in the Sky line. RESULT!: First out Big Sam isn't pie in the Sky; IN ASSOCIATION WITH betfair.com The findings were treated as pie in the sky yesterday by the manufacturers of the national delicacy. SCOTCH PIE STUDY JUST HALF-BAKED But if anyone thinks it's all just pie in the sky and the idea of a healthy pasty won't take off in Scotland, then think again. IT'S PIE TREASON; Our Scotch pastry faces a de-grease in popularity PIE in the Sky star Richard Griffiths is fighting back to health after being under 24-hour care in hospital. Griffiths, who played gourmet cop Inspector Henry Crabbe in BBC1's Pie in the Sky, went into hospital near his West Midlands home for round-the- clock supervision. PIE IN SKY TV STAR HAS HEALTH SCARE Gourmet cop series Pie In The Sky has been given the chop. Richard is not hap-pie Now she can be seen as Richard Griffiths' new waitress in the on-going success story Pie In The Sky - the only TV series where cooks and crooks get equal billing. Marsha's sights set on goal That's Nicky Henson's advice as he gets to grips with a bottle or three in this week's Pie In The Sky. YES TO DRAMA, NO TO DRAMS Horse-mad star Richard Griffiths gets under starter's orders with the return of the series Pie In The Sky. Richard loves horsing around When she guests in tonight's episode of Pie In The Sky, Phyllis is cast as the fiercely ambitious Detective Superintendent Chalmers. Life after Lovejoy; After playing posh Lady Jane, Phyllis Logan's career is all pie in the sky, as JOHN MILLAR discovers
随便看	seized with seized with (something) seize on seize onto seize on(to) (something) seize out seize (someone or something) with (something) seize the day seize the hour/day seize the moment seize the moral high ground seize the opportunity seize the opportunity (to do something) seize up seize upon (something) seize with seizing seldom select select as select for select from select from (something) select (someone or something) as (something) select (someone or something) for (something)