build castles in the air

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build castles in the air

To create dreams, hopes, or plans that are impossible, unrealistic, or have very little chance of succeeding. You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you're going to start your own business—don't just build castles in the air.

build castles in the air

and build castles in Spain

Fig. to daydream; to make plans that can never come true. Ann spends most of her time building castles in Spain. I really like to sit on the porch in the evening, just building castles in the air.

build castles in the air (or in Spain)

have a visionary and unattainable scheme; daydream.

The concept was known to St Augustine ( 354–430 ), who uses the phrase subtracto fundamento in aere aedificare meaning ‘build on air without foundation’. Castles in the air has been the version predominant in English since the late 16th century, but castles in Spain , from Old French châteaux en Espagne , was used in the late medieval period and occasionally in more recent times. The form of the saying in Old French, known from the 13th century, may refer to the fact that much of Spain in the Middle Ages was under Moorish control, so any scheme to build castles there was clearly unlikely to succeed.