over the river and through the woods

/ˈoʊ.vɚ ðə ˈɹɪvɚ ən(d)θɹu ðə wʊdz/

prepositional phrase

Trying to achieve a particular task, often with difficulty.

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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. figurativelyTrying to achieve a particular task, often with difficulty.
  2. figurativelyLost.
  3. figurativelyHaving lost one's mind; insane.
  4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see over, the, river, and, through, the, woods.

Origin

Originally based on a Thanksgiving poem written by Lydia Maria Child, this phrase was eventually turned into one of the many various Christmas carols and then soon developed its own meaning in the English lexicon. See the Wikipedia article for more information.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

over the river and through the woods. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/over%20the%20river%20and%20through%20the%20woods

MLA

“over the river and through the woods.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/over%20the%20river%20and%20through%20the%20woods. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “over the river and through the woods,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/over%20the%20river%20and%20through%20the%20woods.

Source: over the river and through the woods on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.