Unlikely Situations: English Vocabulary List

to be a condition or requirement that is uncertain or potentially challenging to fulfill

"It will be a big if."

"Whether she agrees to join the team is a big if, but we should still prepare the presentation just in case."

a story that seems impossible, particularly one that is used as an excuse

"The cock-and-bull story convinces no one."

"Nobody believed the cock and bull story about aliens stealing his homework."

used to express anger and the fact that someone does not care about someone or something

"Forget that noise, I quit."

"Forget that noise; I am not going to tolerate your disrespectful behavior any longer."

used to say that one does not think that something will ever happen or has any chance of being true

"If that is true, I will eat my hat."

"She was so certain the proposal would be rejected that she said she would eat her hat if it passed."

to think about unlikely and unrealistic possibilities

"Don't cast beyond the moon."

"While dreaming big is good, you shouldn't cast beyond the moon and expect impossible outcomes."

used to refer to something that exceeds one's expectations in such ways that makes it hard to believe

"The job offer sounds too good to be true."

"The job offer seemed too good to be true and unfortunately it was because the company turned out to be a scam."

an attempt made without having any high hopes of achieving success

"Very long shot."

"Winning the lottery is a very long shot but many people still try every week."

used to refer to something that is extremely desirable yet nearly impossible to obtain

"Gold is at the end of the rainbow."

"Many people spend their whole lives searching for happiness at the end of the rainbow, never realizing it was within them all along."

a promise of something good or desirable that will never be fulfilled

"The promise of a raise was just jam tomorrow."

"The promise of a raise was just jam tomorrow and it never actually materialized."

to aim for goals that are unrealistic or extremely difficult to achieve

"He will swing for the fences."

"The ambitious entrepreneur decided to swing for the fences with his revolutionary new product launch."

used to express one's disbelief about something happening or being true

"Will he ever apologise? Pigs might fly."

"The two departments agreeing on a shared budget? Pigs might fly before that ever happens."

an impractical or impossible idea, plan, or wish

"Becoming a millionaire is a pipe dream."

"Becoming a millionaire is a pipe dream for most people who never win the lottery."

the slightest chance of succeeding or happening

"He does not have a ghost of a chance."

"The small team did not have a ghost of a chance against the heavily favoured champions who had won every match that season."

to make promises that are impossible to be fulfilled or be kept

"He promised her the moon yesterday."

"The politician promised the people the earth during the campaign, but once elected, he completely forgot about all his grand promises."

to have no desire or intention to return to past circumstances

"She started her own business and never looked back."

"After she moved to the big city she never looked back and completely forgot her small hometown."

to have no desire or intention to return to past circumstances

"I will not look back."

"Having overcome his past struggles, he vowed to not look back and focus solely on his future."