cow

*awkward as a cow on a crutch and *awkward as a cow on roller skates

very clumsy or off balance. (*Also: as ~.) When Lulu was overweight, she was awkward as a cow on a crutch. Tom will never be a gymnast. He's as awkward as a cow on roller skates!

See also: awkward, crutch

(un)til the cows come home

Rur. until the last; until very late. (Referring to the end of the day, when the cows come home to be fed and milked.) We were having so much fun that we decided to stay at the party until the cows camehome. Where've you been? Who said you could stay out till the cows come home?

See also: come, home

cow someone into something

to intimidate someone into doing something through the use of guilt or shame. You can't cow me into doing it. Those tricks don't work on me. You can cow Wally into almost anything.

cow chip and cow pie; cow patty; cow flop

Inf. a piece of cow manure. The pioneers didn't have much wood, so they burned dried cow chips. How did that big ol' cow pie get in the middle of my flower bed? Tom slipped on a cow patty.

See also: chip

cow juice

Sl. milk. Here's a little cow juice to pour on your cereal.

See also: juice

cow paste

Rur. butter. Would you kindly pass the cow paste?

See also: paste

Don't have a cow!

Calm down!; Don't get so excited! (Made famous in the television show, The Simpsons.) Chill out, man! Don't have a cow! Aw, don't have a cow, Dad!

See also: have

Holy cow!

Inf. Wow! Holy cow! I never expected such a nice gift! Give me a chance! Holy cow, don't rush me!

See also: holy

sacred cow

Fig. something that is regarded by some people with such respect and veneration that they do not like it being criticized by anyone in any way. (From the fact that the cow is regarded as sacred in India and is not eaten or mistreated.) A university education is a sacred cow in the Smith family. Fred is regarded as a failure because he quit school at 16. Don't talk about eating meat to Pam. Vegetarianism is one of her sacred cows.

See also: sacred

Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free? and Why buy a cow when milk is so cheap?

Prov. Why pay for something that you can get for free otherwise. (Sometimes used to describe someone who will not marry because sex without any commitment is so easy to obtain. Jocular and crude.) I don't have a car because someone always gives me a ride to work. Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free? Mary told her daughter, "You may think that boy will marry you because you're willing to sleep with him, but why should he buy a cow if he can get milk for free?"

See also: buy, can, get, milk, why

---

a cash cow

a business or a part of a business that always makes a lot of profit The British newspapers are the group's biggest cash cow, earning nearly 40% of group profits.

See also: cash

a sacred cow

a belief or system that is treated with much respect and is not usually criticized The British legal system remains a sacred cow, despite increasing evidence that serious mistakes have been made.

See also: sacred

have a cow  (American)

to be very worried, upset, or angry about something I thought he was going to have a cow when I told him I'd lost his key.

See also: have

until the cows come home

for a very long time We could talk about this problem until the cows come home, but it wouldn't solve anything.

See also: come, home, until

---

have a cow

to be very worried, upset, or angry about something The record companies were having a cow over downloadable music files.

Usage notes: the opposite meaning is expressed by don't have a cow: Don't have a cow, Mom, I'll clean up my room.

See also: have

holy cow

1. what a surprise “I was paying 23 percent interest on that credit card.” “Holy cow!”

2. how wonderful "A friend of mine is in Hollywood filming a movie this month." "Holy cow, that must be so cool."

See also: holy

until the cows come home (spoken) also till the cows come home

for a very long time You can diet until the cows come home, and you still won't be a size 4.

See also: come, home, until