chase rainbows

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

chase rainbows (third-person singular simple present chases rainbows, present participle chasing rainbows, simple past and past participle chased rainbows)

1. (idiomatic) To pursue unrealistic or fanciful goals.
   • 1921, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 16, in Indiscretions of Archie:

     "I'm sorry to spoil your daydreams and stop you chasing rainbows, and all that, but aren't you forgetting that the shop belongs to me?"

   • 1975 March 3, “Democrats: Five and Still Counting”, in Time, retrieved 26 June 2014:

     The message of the campaign brochure was slick and soothing: "Bentsen. He dreams dreams. But he doesn't chase rainbows."

   • 2013 January 23, Chris Hewett, “Get ready for the greatest rugby show in the northern hemisphere”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 26 June 2014:

     But Johnson says he knows the score and intends to approach the challenges ahead with a strong sense of realism. "I don't want to chase rainbows," he said.

See also

• dream the impossible dream
• end of the rainbow
• flight of fancy

References

• “chase rainbows”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.