key to the midway

Meaning

Noun

A fictional item, the subject of a fool's errand.
A Ferris wheel or carousel, due to their central location.

Related

Similar words

left-handed monkey wrench, skyhook

Origin

Carny slang, from the custom of sending a rube on a quest for the (non-existent) “key to the midway”.

Modern English dictionary

Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.

Word of the Day

Get a curated memorable word every day.

Challenge yourself

Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.

And much more

Try out Vedaist now.