# until the cows freeze over

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/until-the-cows-freeze-over
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

For a very long period of time.

## Examples

- You can argue until the cows come home, but I will not change my mind.
- He practices his guitar until the cows come home every single day.
- She stares at those old travel photos until the cows come home.
- We sat in the cafe talking about our future plans until the cows came home.
- The children can play outside until the cows come home as long as they finish their homework before dinner.
- You can search for your lost keys until the cows come home, but you probably left them at the office.
- The committee debated the complex policy changes until the cows came home, yet they still failed to reach a final consensus.

## Origin

The expression is a mixed metaphor, first recorded in the 20th century. It combines two established idioms of duration and impossibility: the 16th-century until the cows come home and the 20th-century when hell freezes over. No specific author is credited with the merger, which functions as a linguistic shortcut for an event that is not expected to occur within a reasonable timeframe.

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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.