caça aos gambozinos

Portuguese

Etymology

Literally, “hunting for gambozinos”, an imaginary, nonexistent animal.

Noun

caça aos gambozinos f (plural caças aos gambozinos)

1. (idiomatic) snipe hunt (prank in which a gullible person is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item)
2. (idiomatic) wild-goose chase, fool's errand (a futile search; a useless and often lengthy task)

References

"gambozino", in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa [em linha], 2008-2024, .