You wish! means dream on, in your dreams. It's the reply to an unrealistic hope or a boast: 'I'm going to beat you without practising.' 'You wish!' The idea is 'you'd like that, but no'. Between friends it sounds playful; with a stranger it can sound mocking and a bit rude.
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unrealistic hope or boast → You wish!
- "You'll do all the packing for me." "You wish!"
- "I'm going to beat you without practising." "You wish!"
- Mara laughed and said, "You wish!" when I claimed I could finish her giant sandwich.
What changed
First version"Shall we meet at six instead?" "You wish!"
Revision"Shall we meet at six instead?" "As you wish."
You wish sounds like 'whatever you want', so it can seem a fine reply to an ordinary suggestion. But it mocks: 'dream on'. To go along with someone's choice, say As you wish or Sure, whatever you like.
As you wish means 'as you like': you agree. You wish! means you refuse with a laugh. I wish! means 'if only!': 'Are you going on holiday?' 'I wish!' You'd love to, but it won't happen.
Your turn
"You'll do my homework for me, right?" "___ Do it yourself."
Show the answer
You wish! — Your friend expects you to do their homework, and you laugh it off: that's You wish! As you wish would mean you agree.
A friend claims they'll beat you at tennis with their eyes closed. Reply with you wish.
You wish! You haven't won a single game against me this year.
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