wild-goose chase

Etymology
Early recorded use refers to a type of 16th century horse race where everyone had to try to follow the erratic course of the lead horse, like wild geese have to follow their leader in formation. Mentioned in 1593 in the English poet ’s book about horsemanship. Also mentioned in the play ', Act 2, scene 4 by the character Mercutio: “Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done; for thou hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five.” Mentioned in, ' (1621). Common use in the current may be the origin for the sport sense.

Noun

 * 1)  A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.

Usage notes

 * As wild-goose chase literally means “a chase for wild geese”, it is usually hyphenated as shown for clarity. The form without the hyphen is also commonly seen, and can be construed as a “wild chase”, not an inevitably fruitless one, after a possibly domesticated and flightless goose, rather than after a wild goose.

Translations

 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: ,
 * Finnish: neulan etsiminen heinäsuovasta, hukkareissu
 * Georgian: ველური ბაჭიანი დევნა
 * German: sinnloses Unterfangen, fruchtloses Unterfangen
 * Hebrew: מרדף שווא
 * Italian: ricerca inutile, ricerca vana, caccia ai fantasmi, sforzo inutile
 * Polish: szukanie wiatru w polu
 * Portuguese: caça aos gambozinos
 * Romanian:
 * Scottish Gaelic: air gnothaich na cuthaig
 * Spanish: búsqueda inútil