Idiom
kill the fatted calf
Meaning
To begin a festive celebration and rejoice for someone's long-awaited return.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“We will kill the fatted calf when our daughter finally comes home.”
“The family decided to kill the fatted calf to celebrate their brother's return after five years abroad.”
“When the retired captain finally visited his old neighborhood, his neighbors decided to kill the fatted calf by hosting a massive block party in his honor.”
“Upon the prodigal traveler's arrival, the village elders prepared to kill the fatted calf, marking the end of his long and arduous journey.”
Examples
simple
“We will kill the fatted calf when our daughter finally comes home.”
contextual
“The family decided to kill the fatted calf to celebrate their brother's return after five years abroad.”
“When the retired captain finally visited his old neighborhood, his neighbors decided to kill the fatted calf by hosting a massive block party in his honor.”
complex
“Upon the prodigal traveler's arrival, the village elders prepared to kill the fatted calf, marking the end of his long and arduous journey.”
Origin
The phrase comes from the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:23. When the younger son returns home after squandering his inheritance, the father orders his servants to bring the fatted calf and kill it, so that the household can feast and celebrate the son's return.
A fatted calf was an animal deliberately fattened and kept for a special occasion, so slaughtering it marked a lavish, joyful welcome rather than an ordinary meal. From this the phrase came to mean laying on a generous celebration to greet someone, particularly someone who has come back after an absence.
Key words
Related idioms
Stories
The Parables · See all Biblical origin
The short stories Jesus told to make a point.
good Samaritan — A person who helps someone in distress out of their own good nature.
the prodigal son — Someone who returns, chastened and repentant, after a period of reckless or wasteful living.
the eleventh hour — The very last possible moment before a deadline or a decisive event.
separate the wheat from the chaff — To select only that which is of value.
a house built on sand — A plan or venture with no solid foundation, liable to collapse under pressure.
the widow's mite — A small gift that represents a great sacrifice for the person who gives it.
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