What does the expression, buy the brooklyn bridge mean>?

Question

What does the expression, buy the brooklyn bridge mean>?

Answer 1

This phrase came about after a Con-man by the man of George C. Parker sold the Brooklyn Bridge twice a week for 30 years.



https: // en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker



So it went in the 1937 comedy "Every Day's a Holiday," a Mae West film that made merry with one of the most cherished notions about New York and the gullibility to be found there: that someone would be foolish enough to buy one of the city's iconic landmarks.



Since the bridge was completed in 1883, the idea of illegally selling it has become the ultimate example of the power of persuasion. A good salesman could sell it, a great swindler would sell it, and the perfect sucker would fall for the scam.



http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/nyregion/thecity/for-you-half-price.html

Answer 2

The Brooklyn Bridge is mentioned in several common expressions about the sale of the bridge by one person to another (the bridge is actually public property). A person who "could sell someone the Brooklyn Bridge" is persuasive; a person who "tries to sell the Brooklyn Bridge" is extremely dishonest; a person who "would buy the Brooklyn Bridge" is gullible.



http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/49/messages/988.html

Answer 3

You do know that you would never really be able to buy it, right? the person selling it to you won't actually give you the bridge, and you know that, so either the guy is a fantastic salesman, if he could convince you to buy the bridge even though you KNOW it is not for sale, OR, you are a completely gullible fool that would buy anything even if you know you can't.



You can't buy the dang bridge, so no one can sell it to you. They can pretend to sell it, and they can take your money, but you will NEVER end up owning the bridge.

Answer 4

The Brooklyn Bridge has never been for sale, but has reputedly been sold to many unsuspecting dupes. To buy the Brooklyn Bridge means to fall for "a line", or to "get taken". The expression is usually used as: "If you believe that, then have I got a bridge for you (or "I have a bridge to sell you")."

Answer 5

If someone is gullible (easily fooled or believes anything), one might say, "I've got a bridge to sell you" or "would you like to buy the Brooklyn Bridge." Since the Brooklyn Bridge is not for sale, this is ridiculous, but, it is used to emphasize that the person who makes the offer thinks the other person is so gullible s/he would actually consider this as a serious proposal.

Answer 6

to cheat someone in a business deal



http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/the-brooklyn-bridge



The expression selling the Brooklyn Bridge to somebody means tricking them in a deal.



http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/the-brooklyn-bridge

Answer 7

It means something that costs a lot. Example. He bought a second hand car for $5,000. He could have bought the Brooklyn Bridge for that." It's a term used not in a literal sense but figuratively.

Answer 8

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