dry hole
n.— «The Sunday night raid was what soldiers here call a “dry hole.” They received an intelligence tip, and it led to nothing.» —“Soldiers in Sunni Town Run Into Wall of Silence” by Josh White in Samarra, Iraq Washington Post Dec. 23, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...
The German phrase Der Bus hält an jeder Milchkanne literally translates as “The bus stops at every milk can,” and refers to a bus that stops at every little out-of-the-way town. This is part of a complete episode.
Related