the moon on a stick
- idiom
- UK
:
algo inalcanzable
- It's like asking for the moon on a stick to expect a perfect outcome without compromise.
Examples
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Many customers have unrealistic expectations, often asking for the moon on a stick during negotiations.
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When she said she wanted a palace and a yacht, I realized she was just asking for the moon on a stick.
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You could say customers want the moon on a stick but don't necessarily want to pay for it.
Blog text (17)
Synonyms
1
8.6
Foolish ideas or plans that are not serious
An idea that is strange and unlikely to work
Antonyms
How Realistic
33
3.2
84
3.9
- UK
- Informal
23
6.8
453
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal parts ('moon' = distant large object; 'stick' = small rod) create a vivid, physically impossible image, so a learner can guess this is hyperbolic and signals something unrealistic. However, the conventionalized meaning 'an impossible-to-obtain thing / an excessive demand' is idiomatic and not strictly predictable from standard composition patterns, so understanding requires some exposure or cultural knowledge.
Etymology
The moon on a stick paints a silly picture of someone offering the moon on a stick, a bright thing you could never really have. So it means 'something impossible to obtain' or 'asking for too much'.