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Greek calends

idiom
Meaning

A time that never occurs; never; when pigs fly.


Origin

disputed origin

Calque of Latin ad kalendās Graecās; unlike the Roman calendar, the Greek calendar had no calends.

Examples
SIMPLE

He will pay you back on the Greek calends.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee promised to review our proposal, but we know they will get to it on the Greek calends.

COMPLEX

The politician pledged to address the systemic inequality, yet his vague timeline suggested the reforms would arrive only on the Greek calends.

Anchors to
Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    bubble

    [Cockney slang]Greek

  2. 02

    it's all Greek to me

    I don't understand any of it; it makes no sense.

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