castle in the air
1
8.2
- idiom
- /ˈkæsl ɪn ði ɛr/
- Informal
:
castillo en el aire
- People spend their whole lives building castles in the air... ...and then nothing ever comes of them.
- building a castle in the air
You know, the old saying is that neurotics build castles in the air and psychotics move in.
- You know, the old saying is that neurotics build castles in the air and psychotics move in.
Examples
-
When speaking of someone who makes impossible plans—castles in the air—the French typically say that he is lord of castles in Spain.
Fiction book (2001) -
I had gotten up at five so I could have the faculty lounge all to myself: a few sweet moments of floating on cushions, building a castle in the air, imagining I belonged inside.
Fiction book (1994) -
* * Stories of castle in the air * * So who wants love
-
What we are destroying is nothing but castles in the air, and we are clearing up the ground of language on which they stand.
Academic text (1991) -
You know, the old saying is that neurotics build castles in the air and psychotics move in.
-
With the scent of roses in the air and the flutter of the flag in the breeze, I was protected, free to think little-girl thoughts and build little-girl castles in the air.
Blog text (24) -
He spent years pursuing a castle in the air, believing he would find success in an impossible dream.
-
Many teenagers are known for their castles in the air, dreaming of fame and fortune in unrealistic careers.
-
Chasing after a castle in the air can lead to disappointment when reality sets in.
Synonyms
43
2.6
Pleasant thoughts that distract you from what is happening now
23
6.8
A hope or plan that is not likely to happen
22
7.7
An idea or hope that seems real but is not possible
15
7.5
A pleasant daydream when you are lost in thought
10
7.5
An idea or plan that is unlikely to happen
7
7.4
An imaginative idea that is unlikely to be true or useful
4
6.8
A hope for something you cannot achieve
2
8.8
A made-up perfect place that exists only in dreams
2
9.9
Being lost in pleasant thoughts and not noticing things around you
1
3.2
Thinking about pleasant things while not paying attention
A dream that is not likely to come true
A hope or plan that sounds nice but is unlikely to happen
Antonyms
How Realistic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The image of a literal castle 'in the air' conveys impossibility or unreality, so a learner who knows 'castle' and 'air' could plausibly infer a figurative sense like an unrealistic plan or daydream. However, the meaning relies on a metaphorical mapping rather than straightforward compositional rules; while cross-linguistic parallels make it more accessible, it is not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Castle in the air paints a picture of someone building a grand castle up in the thin air or sky where it cannot stand. That's why it means 'an unrealistic plan' or 'a daydream'.