Re: Thinking to find a lark's nest

In article <A1Klj.7736$7C5.57283@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
NOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxx had it:

Hello:

Wonder what
"thinking to find a lark's nest"
could mean in the context.

Is this an idiom?

------
[Ernest tells his parents he lost his watch, which really had been given
by him to a former female servant of the family, Ellen, now pregnant.]

Of course, Ernest was made to look for his lost property, and a reward
was offered for it, but it seemed he had wandered a good deal off the
path, thinking to find a lark's nest, more than once, and looking for a
watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very like looking for a needle
in a bundle of hay: besides it might have been found and taken by some
tramp, or by a magpie of which there were many in the neighbourhood, so
that after a week or ten days the search was discontinued, and the
unpleasant fact had to be faced that Ernest must have another watch,
another knife, and a small sum of pocket money.

The Way of All Flesh, by Samuel Butler, p. 237
--------

Yes, it's an idiom: "thinking to X" means "thinking that he will X",
i.e. believing or intending that he will X. So the character has
gone off the path to look for a lark's nest.

--
David

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ... may have been picked up by a tramp or a magpie (who are notably attracted to ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ... Ernest has given away his watch but tells his parents he has lost it - ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very like looking for a needle ... unpleasant fact had to be faced that Ernest must have another watch, ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... Of course, Ernest was made to look for his lost property, and a reward was offered for it, but it seemed he had wandered a good deal off the path, thinking to find a lark's nest, more than once, and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay: besides it might have been found and taken by some tramp, or by a magpie of which there were many in the neighbourhood, so that after a week or ten days the search was discontinued, and the unpleasant fact had to be faced that Ernest must have another watch, another knife, and a small sum of pocket money. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very ... for larks' nests. ... may have been picked up by a tramp or a magpie (who are notably attracted to ...
    (alt.usage.english)