A CASTLE IN SPAIN, subs. phr. (old).—A day-dream; idle fancies. Thus TO BUILD A CASTLE IN SPAIN (IN THE AIR, THE SKIES, or TO BUILD A CASTLE) = to indulge in visionary projects or schemes; to romance. Fr. château en Espagne, en Asie, en Albanie, &c. See AIR.

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  c. 1400.  CHAUCER, The Romaunt of the Rose. 2573.

        Thou shalt make CASTELS thanne IN SPAYNE,
And dreme of joye, alle but in vayne.

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  1475.  CAXTON, Jason, 19. He began to make CASTELLIS IN SPAYGNE as louers doo.

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  1586.  T. BOWES, trans. de La Primaudaye’s The French Academie, ii. 182. Some … have their wittes a wool-gathering, and as wee use commonly to say, are building of CASTLES IN SPAINE.

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  1611.  COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Faire des chasteaux en Espaigne, TO BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIRE (say we).

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  1809.  MALKIN, Gil Blas (1812), VII. x. I was gradually lulled with so much wealth, and fell asleep in the very act of building CASTLES IN SPAIN.

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  1860.  MOTLEY, History of the United Netherlands, IV. 282. The explosion of the Gunpowder Plot blowing the CASTLES IN SPAIN into the air.

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  1871.  M. COLLINS, Marquis and Merchant, II. vii. 203. We have all had our CASTLES IN SPAIN.

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