plait fog

From the fact that fog is too insubstantial to be plaited.

plait fog (third-person singular simple present plaits fog, present participle plaiting fog, simple past and past participle plaited fog)

1. (UK, figurative) To perform an action in which the result falls apart immediately or to work on organizing something that cannot be organized.
   • 1999, Michael Carroll, Elizabeth Holloway, Counselling Supervision in Context, page 189:

     The result for the supervisee is an experience like 'plaiting fog', that is, trying to hold together the different strands in a unified whole — and holding the tension between the needs of client, counsellor and organization.

   • 2003, Cathy Davis, Housing associations - rehousing women leaving domestic violence, page 57:

     He believed that the project was largely "plaiting fog” and making too much of what it had achieved.

   • 2019, Craig Hallam, Down Days:

     Like my life is one long session of plaiting fog.

   • 2023, Nick Oldham, Death Ride:

     'Currently, I'm plaiting fog,' Henry admitted.

2. (UK) Used as a metaphor for accomplishing an impossible task.

   Synonyms: knit fog, plait sawdust

   • 2010, Cath Irvine, Graham Firth, Ruth Berry, Understanding Intensive Interaction, page 19:

     Just as you can't plait fog, you can hardly have an informed debate about something that means quite different things to different people.

   • 2011, Philip Serrell, Sold to the Man With the Tin Leg:

     I though H had more chance of plaiting fog than coming back with an affirmative to his request.

   • 2015, J.R Stephenson, Barclays - Bankers or Bandits, page 152:

     "This is like trying to plait fog,” said Robson, now showing his frustration. “You can't have it both ways.”

   • 2016, David Nixon, Stories from the Street: A Theology of Homelessness:

     Trying to pin down the meaning of the words themselves— 'spiritual', 'spirituality', 'religious experience'— is like trying to plait fog, but the endeavour is necessary, not least because interviewees will hear and use all these terms in different ways.

   • 2019, Kathryn Hughes, Her Last Promise:

     Never going to 'appen, love. I'll plait fog if it does.