a question about idioms

[lilbern4@verizon.net]

I would like to know a really hard idiom that would be hard for another student to figure that it is an idiom.

[Casiopea]

Pie in the sky: something which is promised or planned but is most unlikely to happen.

[retro]

Pie in the sky: something which is promised or planned but is most unlikely to happen.

Hi Casiopea,

A yummy pie you'd like to eat but can't reach it?


Does pie symbolize something like a contract that you want to make with somebody but it's impossible? Pie (the contract) is in the sky and it's very high.

Can we also call an impossible plan hot air?

- The government says it's gonna cut taxes.
- It's hot air.

[Tdol]

'Hot air' fits there- hot air is empty words.

[TonyB]

Hello to Lilbern4,

What I think you are asking for is called 'irony' or 'sarcasm'. How about saying: Your English is second to none, which can either mean that it is the best or if used sarcastically it will mean that it is bad.
We English are rather big on irony.
'Big on' means we like it a lot but my Spanish taecher tells me that the Spanish would have difficulty understanding it - so it doesn't always translate well.