A Sacred Cow.
English
idiom
Something nobody is allowed to question or change.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Something nobody is allowed to question or change.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Something people refuse to question, even when it no longer works.
A sacred cow is protected by habit and feeling, so suggesting a change upsets people.
The phrase comes from the sacred status of cows in India.
"A Hornet's Nest"
—
A situation that causes trouble if disturbed
"Set in Stone"
—
Fixed and impossible to change
"A Sacred Cow"
—
Protected from any question by tradition
If we're serious about the savings, the sacred cows have to be on the list.
You're right, though I'd like to prepare people before that meeting.
Could we skip the big family holiday just once this year?
In my family that trip is a sacred cow, but I'll raise it with them.
Why does the club still hold that awful summer dinner?
It's a sacred cow. Suggesting they cancel it would start a small war.
