牛在汉语里是欢迎的动物,如老牛舐犊、牛角挂书,孺子牛；当然也有贬义,如对牛弹琴、吴牛喘月、牛鬼蛇神。

COW母牛

1) till the cows come home Informal: for a long time; indefinitely长时间地；无限期地：

The guests stayed till the cows came home. 客人们作长时间的逗留

2) Holy cow ! [口]哎呀! 好家伙!

3) milch cow奶牛； 财源, 摇钱树

4) sacred cow(印度的)圣牛;神圣不可侵犯的人［事物］； 不容许别人批评的人［事物］

5) salt the cow to catch the calf[美口]用转弯抹角的手段来达到目的

Curst cows have curt horns. [谚]恶牛角短(指有心伤害人的人常常能力有限)。

If you sell the cow,you sell her milk too. 事难两全。

You can't sell the cow and sup the milk. 事难两全。

Many a good cow hath a bad calf. 虎父生犬子。

The cow knows not what her tail is worth until she has lost it. 有时不爱惜, 失后徒叹息。

OX公牛

1) The black ox has trod/ trampled on sb's foot. 灾祸已降到某人头上。某人已到老年。

2) You cannot flay the same ox twice. [谚]一头牛不能剥两次皮。

CALF小牛

1) eat the calf in the cow's belly指望得太早, 所望过奢

2) kill the fatted calf准备设宴庆祝或欢迎

3) smack calf-skin[calf's skin] [口]在法庭上吻圣经宣誓; 发誓

4) the fatted calf最好的款待

5) the golden calf金犊(古犹太人在摩西不在时所崇拜的偶象); 金钱

worship the golden calf崇拜金钱, 追求物质利益; 为利欲放弃原则

If you agree to carry the calf, they will make you carry the cow.

[谚]你若答应背小牛, 人家连母牛也要你背。

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