Are you having delusions of grandeur? Maybe you think you're going to end up as the next Warren Buffet as a beginner trader? If so, someone could tell you that your vision of success is nothing more than a "pipe dream."
This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this idiomatic expression.
Pipe Dream Meaning
If someone tells you that you have a "pipe dream," it means that they're remarking on an idea you are sharing, telling you that there is no chance it will happen.
For instance, if you have wild dreams of being a billionaire and jet-setting around the world, it's probably a pipe dream. We're not saying it can't happen, but chances are it will never come to fruition.
Pipe Dream Example Usage
Chet: "I'm thinking about setting up my business next month and quitting this wage lifestyle. I'm tired of living paycheck-to-paycheck."
Camilla: "Look, Chet, I know you're keen to start your company, but it sounds like a pipe dream to me. You have no experience, no funding, and no way to meet investors. How are you going to make it happen?"
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Brandon: "I'm going to set the sales record this month, everyone else is doing huge numbers, and it's my turn this month."
Emma: "I like your enthusiasm, but let's face it, that's a pipe dream. You don't have half the sales training the rest of the team has, and you don't know how to close. So, how are you going to achieve that goal?"
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Justin: "I saw Kelly this weekend, she bought a lotto ticket, and she's convinced she's got the winning numbers."
Kimberley: "Yeah, right, that sounds like a pipe dream to me. Does she even know what the odds of winning the lottery are?
Pipe Dream Origin
The origin of the saying "pipe dream" comes from the days when opium was a legal drug, and people would visit "opium dens" to enjoy a pipe of opiate. Many English and American authors would visit the dens and smoke opium to gain inspiration.
As the drug affected their minds, they would develop ideas, called "pipe dreams," named for the opium pipe bringing about the idea. By the mid to late 1800s, opium dens were rife in major cities across the United States.
The dens would source the opium from China, resulting in the "opium wars." The opium industry in the US reached its peak with the California Gold Rush in 1850. Smoking opium results in hallucinations, also known as "pipe dreams."
Writers would coin the term in the 1870s, and by the 1890s, "pipe dream" changed its meaning to the current format, describing an idea that has little chance of coming to fruition. San Francisco banned opium dens in 1875, but some cities, such as New York, would hold onto the practice, with the last opium den in NYC closing in 1857.
Phrases Similar to Pipe Dream
- False hopes.
- Pie in the sky.
- Castles in the air.
Phrases Opposite to Pipe Dream
- Sure thing.
- Done deal.
- Shoo-in.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Pipe dream.
- Pipe dreams.
Ways People May Say Pipe Dream Incorrectly
Using "pipe dream" to describe dreams you have under the influence of drugs is the incorrect use of the term. Telling someone that they have a "pipe dream" when they're trying to tell you about their goals might be offensive to some people, so use tact when applying the phrase.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Pipe Dream
You can use "pipe dream" in social and professional settings when you're trying to tell someone that they have wild ambitions or dreams that probably won't work out. You can use it when referring to personal ideas or other people's ideas.