When pigs fly

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Meaning

Something so absurd or impossible it'll never happen.

Origin

From 17th-century Scotland, a 1616 proverb twists 'pigs might fly' into irony for the impossible. English adopted it by the 1670s, as in a 1678 Butler poem mocking fools. Possibly ties to circus oddities or hog tales, it reflects a rural wit that ballooned in Victorian jests-like 'pigs with wings' in cartoons-growing into a snappy put-down of nonsense.

Variants

  • Pigs fly

Usage Examples

  • Him finishing on time? When pigs fly!
  • She'll apologize when pigs fly; don't hold your breath.
  • Pay me back? Sure, when pigs fly!

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