sacred cow

/'seikrid'kau/

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Sure! Let's break down the term "sacred cow."

Definition:

A sacred cow is a noun that refers to a person, idea, or thing that is considered so important or valuable that it cannot be criticized or questioned, even when it might deserve criticism.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "sacred cow" to describe someone or something that people treat with great respect or admiration, often without considering any flaws or problems.
• It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Example:

1. In a Sentence: "In our company, the old policy has become a sacred cow, and no one dares to suggest changing it."
   • This means that the old policy is so respected that people are afraid to criticize it or propose changes.

Advanced Usage:

• In discussions or debates, you might hear someone say, "We need to challenge the sacred cows in our organization." This means they want to question and possibly change longstanding beliefs or practices that are taken for granted.

Word Variants:

• There are no direct variants of the phrase "sacred cow," but you can use it in different grammatical forms:
  • Singular: "sacred cow"
  • Plural: "sacred cows"

Different Meanings:

• The phrase can sometimes be used in a humorous or sarcastic way to point out how some things are overly protected from criticism.

Synonyms:

• Untouchable
• Taboo
• Idol
• Holy grail (in a more positive sense)

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Walking on eggshells": This idiom means to be very careful about what you say or do because you don't want to upset someone. It can relate to the idea of a sacred cow if someone is afraid to criticize it.
• "Tread lightly": Similar to walking on eggshells, it means to be cautious in your approach, particularly when discussing sensitive topics.

Summary:

A "sacred cow" is something or someone that is respected to the point that it is not questioned.

Academic

Noun

1. a person unreasonably held to be immune to criticism