Slang: Needle in a haystack

Definition: A phrase that is used when you are looking for something that is very hard to find, or when you are unlikely to succeed in a search.


Example: 1) Getting a good, cheap meal in New York is like finding a needle in a haystack.


2) The movie theater was so crowded that getting a seat was like finding a needle in a haystack.


Etymology: A 'needle' is a very small tool used to sew cloth, and if a needle were sitting in a stack of 'hay' (cut grass), it would be very hard to find.




fonte: www.peakenglish.com