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Glite Dictionary
dim and distant dream

dim and distant dream

7.2
A hope that seems unlikely to come true
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : sueño lejano
  • Access to clean water is still a dim and distant dream in some remote communities.

Examples

  • For many people, owning a house in the city is a dim and distant dream.

  • Isn't it just a dim and distant dream to think we can travel to Mars?

  • His plans of becoming a famous actor remained a dim and distant dream throughout his life.

  • He has a dim and distant dream of becoming a famous artist.

  • Access to clean water is still a dim and distant dream in some remote communities.

  • For many people, owning a house in the city is a dim and distant dream.

  • His plans of becoming a famous actor remained a dim and distant dream throughout his life.

Synonyms

pipe dream
vsdim and distant dream
  • Informal
23 6.8

A hope or plan that is not likely to happen

is a vague faint hope rather than one seen as certainly impossible
mirage
vsdim and distant dream
22 7.7

An idea or hope that seems real but is not possible

is a vague faint aspiration rather than something that only seems real
pie in the sky
vsdim and distant dream
  • Informal
10 7.5

An idea or plan that is unlikely to happen

is a vague faint aspiration rather than a clearly impractical plan
impossible dream
vsdim and distant dream
4 6.8

A hope for something you cannot achieve

is a faint unsure hope rather than one seen as completely impossible
wet dream
vsdim and distant dream
  • Slang
1 8.8

An unrealistic hope that is not likely to happen

is a vague faint aspiration described in neutral or standard language

How Likely

plan
∞ 1.0
goal
∞ 1.0
wish
474 1.0
dim and distant dream
  • Literature
7.2
pipe dream
  • Informal
23 6.8

Surface Forms

dim and distant dream singular
dim and distant dreams plural

Morphology

dim + and + distant + dream

The meaning is directly compositional from 'dim' (vague/faint) + 'distant' (far-off/unlikely) modifying 'dream' (an aspiration), so a B1 learner who knows the words can infer an aspiration that is faint and unlikely. This is a straightforward adjectival+noun composition common across languages, making the expression immediately interpretable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Dim and distant dream comes from the picture of a small, faint light far away: the words dim and distant make the dream seem weak and out of reach. So, it means a hope that is 'vague' or 'unlikely to happen'.