fatted calf

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableliterary

   A young cow fed richly so it can be served at a special feast, especially one welcoming someone home.

   Grammar: Usually with the: kill the fatted calf.

   Patterns

   • kill the fatted calf for someone

   In the old story, the father ordered the fatted calf to be killed when his son returned.

   The farmer kept a fatted calf for the harvest festival.

   They prepared the fatted calf as the centerpiece of the wedding feast.

2. 2phraseidiomfigurativehumorous

   In the idiom kill the fatted calf: to hold a large, joyful celebration for someone returning or arriving.

   Grammar: Used in the full idiom with a verb: we killed the fatted calf for her.

   Patterns

   • kill the fatted calf for someone

   When she graduated, the whole family killed the fatted calf.

   We didn't exactly kill the fatted calf, but we made his favorite dinner.

   They will kill the fatted calf when their sailor son comes home.

Word forms

Common combinations

kill the fatted calf

We will kill the fatted calf when you visit.

slaughter the fatted calf

The village slaughtered the fatted calf for the feast.

no fatted calf

There was no fatted calf, just sandwiches.

fatted calf for the returning son

A fatted calf for the returning son was prepared.

Synonyms and how they differ

feast

is a general word for a large meal, while the fatted calf specifically suggests a welcome.

banquet

is a formal, organized meal with many guests, less personal than the fatted calf.

celebration

is broad and can happen without food, unlike the fatted calf's sense of a generous meal.

Word family

fat adjective

carrying much body weight

fatten verb

to make an animal or person fatter

calf noun

a young cow

fattened adjective

fed to become heavier

Commonly confused: fatted calf or golden calf?

Practice

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