Idioms

a million miles away

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a million miles away

1. Noticeably distracted, unfocused, or lost in thought. Of course you don't remember me saying that—you were a million miles away the whole time! Are you even listening to me? You seem a million miles away. A: "Is Miranda OK? She's seemed a million miles away all day." B: "Oh, her father's in the hospital."
2. Extremely dissimilar (to something). Typically used in negative constructions. Your answer isn't quite right, though it isn't a million miles away. This laptop isn't a million miles away from the top-end computers, and it's much more affordable. This house isn't a million miles away from what we're looking for, but it sure would need a lot of cosmetic changes.
See also: away, mile, million
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*million miles away

Fig. lost in thought; [of someone] daydreaming and not paying attention. (Only one's mind is far away. *Typically: be ~; look to be ~; seem ~.) He was a million miles away during the entire lecture. Look at her. She is a million miles away, not paying any attention to what she is doing.
See also: away, mile, million
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
See also:
References in classic literature
It swarms with a mean kind of leather-headed mud-colored angels - and your nearest white neighbor is likely to be a million miles away. WHAT A MAN MOSTLY MISSES, IN HEAVEN, IS COMPANY - company of his own sort and color and language.
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