promise (one) the moon

(redirected from promise her the moon)

promise (one) the moon

To promise one something that cannot be done. Your clients will come to distrust you if you keep promising them the moon.

promise the moon (to someone)

and promise someone the moon

to make extravagant promises to someone. Bill will promise you the moon, but he won't live up to his promises. My boss promised the moon, but never gave me a raise.

promise the moon

If someone promises the moon, they promise to do or give things that they cannot in fact give. Politicians promise the moon at election time, but do they deliver once they're elected?

promise someone the moon (or earth)

promise something that is unattainable. British

1998 New Scientist Scientists tend to promise taxpayers the moon, and then not deliver.

promise (somebody) the ˈmoon/ˈearth/ˈworld

(informal) make very big or impossible promises that you are unlikely to keep: He promised her the moon, but after ten years of marriage they hardly had enough to live on.