will-o'-the-wisp

will-o'-the-wisp  (wl--wsp)

n.

1. See ignis fatuus.

2. A delusive or misleading hope.

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[From the name Will (nickname for William).]

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will-o'-the-wisp

Noun

1. someone or something that is elusive or deceptively alluring: their freedom was just a will-o'-the-wisp

2. a pale light that is sometimes seen over marshy ground at night [Will, short for William + wisp twist of hay burning as a torch]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	will-o'-the-wisp - a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground friar's lantern, ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern light, visible light, visible radiation - (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation; "the light was filtered through a soft glass window"
	2.	will-o'-the-wisp - an illusion that misleads ignis fatuus fancy, phantasy, illusion, fantasy - something many people believe that is false; "they have the illusion that I am very wealthy"

Translations

will-o'-the-wisp [ˈwɪləðəˈwɪsp] n → fuego fatuo;

(fig) → quimera

will-o'-the-wisp [ˈwɪləðəˈwɪsp] n (also fig) → feu follet m

will-o'-the-wisp [ˈwɪləðəˈwɪsp] n → Irrlicht nt (fig); Trugbild nt

will-o'-the-wisp [wɪləðəˈwɪsp] n (also fig) → fuoco fatuo