mi ‧ rage /ˈmɪrɑːʒ $ məˈrɑːʒ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Language: French ; Origin: mirer ; ⇨ ↑ mirror 1 ]
1 . an effect caused by hot air in a desert, which makes you think that you can see objects when they are not actually there
2 . a dream, hope, or wish that cannot come true SYN illusion :
Perhaps we are just chasing a mirage.