ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sacred cow

idiom
Meaning

Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry. A person, institution, belief system, etc. which, for no reason other than the demands of established social etiquette or popular opinion, should be accorded respect or reverence, and not touched, handled or examined too closely.


Origin

disputed origin

Originally American English (early 1900s), a reference to the elevated place of cows in Hinduism.

Examples
SIMPLE

In this company, the old software is a sacred cow.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager wanted to change the schedule, but the tradition of Friday meetings is a sacred cow that nobody dares to challenge.

COMPLEX

Although the department's outdated filing system hindered efficiency, it remained a sacred cow that the senior staff refused to modernize or even discuss.

Anchors to
Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    cow juice

    Cow’s milk.

  2. 02

    have a cow

    To get angry; have a fit.

  3. 03

    holy cow

    An exclamation of surprise or astonishment.

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