Meaning & use
holy cow
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Meanings
interjectioninformal
used to show surprise, shock, or strong interest.
Grammar: Stands alone as an exclamation: Holy cow! It does not take an object.
Patterns
- Holy cow!
Holy cow! Look at the size of that fish!
Holy cow, you finished the whole project already?
Holy cow, that was a close call.
nouncountablereligion
a cow that is treated as sacred in some religions, especially in India.
Grammar: Refers to a real animal; plural: holy cows. Often used in the phrase sacred cow for a belief that cannot be questioned.
Patterns
- a holy cow
- the holy cow
In parts of India, the holy cow is respected and protected.
The temple cared for several holy cows.
Word forms
| plural | holy cows |
|---|
Common combinations
- Holy cow!
- Holy cow! I did not expect to see you here.
- say holy cow
- She said holy cow when she saw the bill.
- a holy cow
- The village treats the animal as a holy cow.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: holy cow or sacred cow?
holy cow vs sacred cow
A sacred cow is an idea or custom that people refuse to criticize; holy cow is mainly an exclamation of surprise.
Practice
Which sentence uses holy cow correctly?
Choose one answer.
Holy cow is an exclamation of surprise, so it fits the near-accident. It is not used to make a request, as a verb, or to describe a person's skill.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “holy cow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.