# shoot the bull

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/shoot-the-bull
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To chinwag; to talk idly.

## Examples

- We sat on the porch to shoot the bull for an hour.
- After the long meeting finished, the coworkers stayed behind to shoot the bull about their weekend plans.
- The old men gathered at the local diner every morning to shoot the bull, discussing everything from local politics to the changing weather.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.