Dictionary.com
definitions

castle in the air

|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR castle in the air ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a fanciful or impractical notion or hope; daydream.

RELATED CONTENT

The Happiest Phrases In The English LanguageRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
The Truth Is In The X-FilesRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

daydream, reverie, nightmare, delusion, fancy, illusion, vision, mirage, invention, chimera, trip, rainbow, creativity, originality, bubble, flight, apparition, figment, fabrication, vagary

Nearby words

casting rod, casting vote, casting wheel, castle, castle howard, air castle, castle nut, castle peak, castle shannon, castle walk, castle's intrinsic factor

Origin of castle in the air

First recorded in 1570–80
Also called air castle, castle in Spain.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for air castle

  • Often while the lamp burnt low, and a horse-bell jangled sadly, they laughed together in a castle-in-the-air.

    To Tell You the Truth|Leonard Merrick

British Dictionary definitions for air castle

castle in the air

castle in Spain

noun

a hope or desire unlikely to be realized; daydream
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012