What does the idiom When Pigs Fly mean?

Definition of when pigs fly

—used to say that one thinks that something will never happen The train station will be renovated when pigs fly.

When pigs fly idiom meaning and examples?

The phrase 'When Pigs Fly' refers to something that is highly unlikely to ever happen. Example of use: “I might wake up early tomorrow to clean my room”. “Yes, you'll do that when pigs fly”.

Whats the idiom for when pigs fly?

"When pigs fly" is an adynaton, a way of saying that something will never happen. The phrase is often used for humorous effect, to scoff at over-ambition.

Where did the idiom when pigs fly come from?

The phrase “pigs might fly” or “pigs may fly” has been used in various forms since the 1600s, when it was said that “pigs fly with their tails forward”, used as a sarcastic remark something overly optimistic. The form “when pigs fly” is more common in America.

What are examples of idioms?

When pigs fly - English IDIOMS

Is idiom a figure of speech?

An idiom is a figure of speech that means something different than a literal translation of the words would lead one to believe. For example, "it's raining cats and dogs" is a common idiom in English, but it's not meant to be taken literally: Household pets are not falling from the sky!

Who coined the phrase when pigs fly?

No one is certain exactly who developed the phrase “when pigs fly." An old reference to pigs flying appears in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. However, scholars believe Carroll may have picked up the phrase from the Scottish, who allegedly had been using the phrase for a couple hundred years.

What is the meaning of this idiom once in a blue moon?

Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something extremely rare in occurrence. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars.

Can pigs fly in real life?

Easter revellers in Australia's biggest city are discovering pigs really can fly.

What does the idiom crocodile tears mean?

Definition of crocodile tears

: false or affected tears also : hypocritical sorrow.

What is the meaning of the idiom miss the boat?

Fail to take advantage of an opportunity, as in Jean missed the boat on that club membership. This expression, which alludes to not being in time to catch a boat, has been applied more widely since the 1920s. 2. Fail to understand something, as in I'm afraid our legislator missed the boat on that amendment to the bill.

What is the meaning of the idiom jump on the bandwagon?

Meaning: to support a cause only because it is popular to do so. If you 'jump on the bandwagon', you join a growing movement in support of someone or something when that movement is seen to be about to become successful.

What does zip your lips mean?

Definition of zip one's lip

: to stop talking immediately Tell your sister to zip her lip!

What is the meaning of the idiom piece of cake?

Definition of piece of cake

: something easily done : cinch, breeze.

Where did the phrase till the cows come home come from?

The idiom till the cows come home has been in use since at least the sixteenth century and may have originated in the Scottish Highlands, where cows are allowed to graze for months at a time before they meander home in the fall.

What does like chalk and cheese mean?

When you say that two people are like 'chalk and cheese', you are suggesting that the two are very different from each other; they have nothing in common. The expression, which has the same meaning as 'apples and oranges', can be used with things as well. No one is really sure about the origin of this idiom.

What is the meaning of the idiom a bed of roses?

Definition of bed of roses

: a place or situation of agreeable ease.

What is the meaning of idiom chew the fat?

Chat in a friendly, leisurely way, as in Let's get together for coffee and chew the fat, or John and Dave spend hours just chewing the rag. Before the 1880s in Britain, chew the fat meant “to grumble or complain,” and chew the rag also has been used in this way.

Is idiom a slang?

Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that do not literally mean what they express. In other words, if you were to translate an idiom word for word in your own language, it most likely would not make any sense at all. Idioms are different than slang as they are used and understood by almost everyone.

What is the meaning of the idiom to clear the air?

Definition of clear the air

Eliminate confusion, dispel controversy or emotional tension, as in His letter has cleared the air; we now know where he stands. This idiom alludes to an atmosphere cleared of sultriness by a storm. [ Late 1800s]

Is an idiom irony?

*More specifically, there are three types of irony. *An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood by its stated words but carries separate meaning(s). *Idioms are expressions and are not meant to be taken literally. *Verbal Irony is when a speaker says one thing but means another.

What does spilling the beans mean?

Disclose a secret or reveal something prematurely, as in You can count on little Carol to spill the beans about the surprise. In this colloquial expression, first recorded in 1919, spill means “divulge,” a usage dating from the 1500s.

Is raining cats and dogs an idiom?

The English-language idiom "raining cats and dogs or raining dogs and cats" is used to describe particularly heavy rain. It is of unknown etymology and is not necessarily related to the raining animals phenomenon. The phrase (with "polecats" instead of "cats") has been used at least since the 17th century.