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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Until the cows come home
The phrase "until the cows come home" just came up. To be more specific, I used it and my German girlfriend laughed and assumed that I had coined it myself.
A quick search on google found 16200 references. One of the first (http://tinyurl.com/2kqxt) yielded the following:
"A long time, usually defining how late
someone might stay up at night or out at bars, nightclubs, discos etc. The origin of the phrase goes back to
a time when people were familiar with the time cows came home (in the very early morning... 4 - 5 a.m.) because they wanted to be milked."
My memory of the term, and its usage by my mother (who grew up on a dairy farm) suggests no such focus. I always understood it as being more or less equivalent to "until hell freezes over".
Redwine
Hamburg
A quick search on google found 16200 references. One of the first (http://tinyurl.com/2kqxt) yielded the following:
"A long time, usually defining how late
someone might stay up at night or out at bars, nightclubs, discos etc. The origin of the phrase goes back to
a time when people were familiar with the time cows came home (in the very early morning... 4 - 5 a.m.) because they wanted to be milked."
My memory of the term, and its usage by my mother (who grew up on a dairy farm) suggests no such focus. I always understood it as being more or less equivalent to "until hell freezes over".
Redwine
Hamburg
Top answer
[nq:1]The phrase "until the cows come home" just came up. To be more specific, I used it and my German ... such focus.
- [nq:1]The phrase "until the cows come home" just came up.
- To be more specific, I used it and my German ...
- such focus.
- I always understood it as being more or less equivalent to "until **** freezes over".
- Redwine Hamburg[/nq] elvin bishop has a song by the name ' party till the cows come home ' ..
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33 Answers
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[nq:1]The phrase "until the cows come home" just came up. To be more specific, I used it and my German ... such focus. I always understood it as being more or less equivalent to "until **** freezes over". Redwine Hamburg[/nq]
elvin bishop has a song by the name ' party till the cows come home ' .. cows if left to their own devices will come home . it isn't quite the same . when **** freezes ov
elvin bishop has a song by the name ' party till the cows come home ' .. cows if left to their own devices will come home . it isn't quite the same . when **** freezes ov
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[nq:1]The phrase "until the cows come home" just came up. To be more specific, I used it and my German ... farm) suggests no such focus. I always understood it as being more or less equivalent to "until **** freezes over".[/nq]
"For an indefinitely long time. Dairy herds formerly worked on a more natural cycle then they do today when cows are milked daily, and under normal conditions in a dry
"For an indefinitely long time. Dairy herds formerly worked on a more natural cycle then they do today when cows are milked daily, and under normal conditions in a dry
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If logics apply here, **** never freezes but eventually cows will come home. That's why I see "****.," closer to "when the pigs will fly"=absurd scenario=never.
But I'm not a native speaker of English, so I may be wrong applying logics to this folksy metaphorical language
But I'm not a native speaker of English, so I may be wrong applying logics to this folksy metaphorical language
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[nq:2]The phrase "until the cows come home" just came up. ... girlfriend laughed and assumed that I had coined it myself.[/nq]
"I could dance with you until the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows until you come home."
GM
Ray.
"I could dance with you until the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows until you come home."
GM
Ray.
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Having lived among cows a bit, I've always found this expression utterly baffling, as cattle are so regular in their habits. I conclude that it may actually be a euphemism for something, but I can't see what.
Mike.
Mike.
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[nq:2]milked." elvin bishop has a song by the name ' ... conotations , cows come home is a little nicer .[/nq]
[nq:1]Having lived among cows a bit, I've always found this expression utterly baffling, as cattle are so regular in their habits. I conclude that it may actually be a euphemism for something, but I can't see what.[/nq]
I have the same problem with "Handsome is as handsome does".
[nq:1]Having lived among cows a bit, I've always found this expression utterly baffling, as cattle are so regular in their habits. I conclude that it may actually be a euphemism for something, but I can't see what.[/nq]
I have the same problem with "Handsome is as handsome does".
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[nq:1]I have the same problem with "Handsome is as handsome does". wrmst rgrds Robin Bignall Hertfordshire England[/nq]
most sayings are incomprehensible .
' blood is thicker than water ' is my favorite looney saying . what does the viscosity of water or blood have to do with anything . i know how it's used and even who supposedly first uttered it ,but still ...
most sayings are incomprehensible .
' blood is thicker than water ' is my favorite looney saying . what does the viscosity of water or blood have to do with anything . i know how it's used and even who supposedly first uttered it ,but still ...
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[nq:1]"I could dance with you until the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows until you come home." GM[/nq]
I presume GM is Groucho Marx.
[nq:1]Ray.[/nq]
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Ba
I presume GM is Groucho Marx.
[nq:1]Ray.[/nq]
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Ba
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Also, some jewels of folk wisdom contradict each other: (approx) "distance makes the heart grow fonder" vs. "out of sight, out of mind". Go figure.
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[nq:1]Also, some jewels of folk wisdom contradict each other: (approx) "distance makes the heart grow fonder" vs. "out of sight, out of mind". Go figure.[/nq]
Naah, that first one is "Absynthe makes the tart grow fonder."
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
Naah, that first one is "Absynthe makes the tart grow fonder."
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
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