sacred cow

noun
1.
an individual, organization, institution, etc., considered to be exempt from criticism or questioning.
Origin
1905-10; in reference to the traditional inviolability of the cow among Hindus
Examples from the web for sacred cow
  • They rewrite the universe from the ground up, shaking up the status quo and leaving no sacred cow untenderized.
  • The next sacred cow will surely be tenure, and exactly the same comments apply.
  • Maybe it's high time someone had the temerity to call this sacred cow a nightmare.
  • There is not much prospect of changing this political sacred cow.
  • The funny thing about that is when you start taking about specific programs, they seem to be someone's sacred cow.
  • One sacred cow that has long been in need of a good stockyard is the home mortgage interest deduction.
  • We have seen today's sacred cow become tomorrow's discredited idea.
  • In each instance, it makes itself into a sacred cow.
  • And because of the urgency of the matter, there cannot be any sacred cow.
  • The committee members should all agree to a no sacred cow policy.
British Dictionary definitions for sacred cow

sacred cow

noun
1.
(informal) a person, institution, custom, etc, unreasonably held to be beyond criticism
Word Origin
alluding to the Hindu belief that cattle are sacred
sacred cow in Culture

sacred cow definition


Figuratively, anything that is beyond criticism: “That housing project is a real sacred cow: the city council won't hear of abandoning it.” In India, followers of Hinduism consider cows sacred and do not eat them because they believe the animals contain the souls of dead persons.

Slang definitions & phrases for sacred cow

sacred cow

noun phrase

Someone or something that may not be questioned or altered: Everything is on the table. There are no sacred cows

[1910+; fr the venerated status of cows in Hinduism]


Idioms and Phrases with sacred cow

sacred cow

A person or thing immune to criticism or questioning, as in The rules governing the press conference have become a sacred cow in this administration. This term alludes to the honored status of cows in Hinduism, where they are a symbol of God's generosity to humankind. It has been used figuratively since about 1900.
Encyclopedia Article for sacred cow

in Hinduism, the belief that the cow is representative of divine and natural beneficence and should therefore be protected and venerated. The cow has also been associated with various deities, notably Shiva (whose steed is a bull), Indra (closely associated with Kamadhenu, the wish-granting cow), Krishna (a cowherd in his youth), and goddesses in general (because of the maternal attributes of many of them).

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