Certainty & Possibility - Unlikely Situations

Master English idioms regarding unlikely situations, like "cast beyond the moon" and "too good to be true".

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to [be] a big if [phrase]

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

Ex: Getting approval from the board is a big if , considering their strict criteria for new initiatives .

cock-and-bull story [noun]

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

Ex:

forget that noise [sentence]

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

Ex: When he proposed a complicated solution to a simple problem , his colleagues told him to " forget that noise " and find a simpler approach .

I will eat my hat [sentence]

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

Ex: I 'll eat my hat if the repairs end up costing less than $ 1,000 .

to [cast] beyond the moon [phrase]

to think about unlikely and unrealistic possibilities

Ex: Her vision for the company 's growth was so expansive that it seemed like she was casting beyond the moon .

too good to be true [phrase]

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

Ex: The deal on the luxury vacation package seemed too good to be true , leading travelers to suspect hidden costs .

long shot [noun]

an attempt made without having any high hopes of achieving success

Ex: Starting a successful business with no prior experience is a long shot , but with hard work and determination , it can be done .

(at|) the end of the rainbow [phrase]

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

Ex: I spent my whole college life thinking a cushy job like this was the end of the rainbow , but now that I have it , I 'm feeling fairly disenchanted .

jam tomorrow [noun]

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

Ex: After years of hearing about potential advancements in technology , people realized it was mostly jam tomorrow .

to [swing] for the fences [phrase]

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

Ex: When preparing for the championship , the team decided to swing for the fences and go all out in their training and strategy .

pigs (can|might) fly [sentence]

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

Ex:

pipe dream [noun]

an impractical or impossible idea, plan, or wish

Ex: The notion of a completely utopian society , free of all problems , is often regarded as a pipe dream .

ghost of a chance [phrase]

the slightest chance of succeeding or happening

Ex: Her outdated computer had a ghost of a chance of running the latest software efficiently .

to [promise] {sb} the (moon|earth|world) [phrase]

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

Ex:

to {not} [look] back [phrase]

to have no desire or intention to return to past circumstances

Ex: When embarking on a new career path , he promised to not look back at his old job with regret but to keep moving forward .

Certainty & Possibility
Certainty	Uncertainty	Unlikely Situations	Impossibility
Luck & Chance	Possibility	Likelihood	Expectations
Unexpected	Unbelievable	Definite or Unavoidable