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Holy Cow!: Doggerel, Catnaps, Scapegoats, Foxtrots, and Horse Feathers―Splendid Animal Words and Phrases
We love animals but insult humans by calling them everything from weasels or pigs to sheep, mice, chickens, sharks, snakes, and bird-brains. Animal epithets, words, and phrases are so widespread we often take them for granted or remain ignorant of the fascinating stories and facts behind them.
Spanning the entire animal kingdom, Holy Cow!
Why hot dogs are named after canines. Why people talk turkey or go cold turkey.
Why curiosity killed the cat, although dogs are more curious about us.
Why letting the cat out of the bag originally referred to a duped shopper.
What a horse of another color is, what horsefeathers politely alludes to, why a mule is a lady’s slipper, and what horseradish has to do with horses.
Why the combination of humans and cows probably led to capitalism—its name from Latin for head, as in heads of cows.
Why holy cow and sacred cow have almost opposite meanings.
Whether people actually chewed the fat or ate crow (and why it’s a crowbar).
How a hog became a motorcycle and a chick a young woman.
What happens to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. What buck has to do with being naked. Why the birds and the bees.
Why a piggy bank and why one feeds the kitty.
What lame ducks have to do with U.S. presidents.
How red herring came about via activists opposed to fox hunting.
Where snake oil, popular in the 1800s and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, came from.
That the proverbial fly in the ointment goes back to the Bible’s Ecclesiastes (10:1).
How Swiss watchmakers created teensy-weensy coaches for fleas to pull in flea circuses.
And much—much!—more.
Don't be a lame duck and get this book!
Spanning the entire animal kingdom, Holy Cow!
Why hot dogs are named after canines. Why people talk turkey or go cold turkey.
Why curiosity killed the cat, although dogs are more curious about us.
Why letting the cat out of the bag originally referred to a duped shopper.
What a horse of another color is, what horsefeathers politely alludes to, why a mule is a lady’s slipper, and what horseradish has to do with horses.
Why the combination of humans and cows probably led to capitalism—its name from Latin for head, as in heads of cows.
Why holy cow and sacred cow have almost opposite meanings.
Whether people actually chewed the fat or ate crow (and why it’s a crowbar).
How a hog became a motorcycle and a chick a young woman.
What happens to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. What buck has to do with being naked. Why the birds and the bees.
Why a piggy bank and why one feeds the kitty.
What lame ducks have to do with U.S. presidents.
How red herring came about via activists opposed to fox hunting.
Where snake oil, popular in the 1800s and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, came from.
That the proverbial fly in the ointment goes back to the Bible’s Ecclesiastes (10:1).
How Swiss watchmakers created teensy-weensy coaches for fleas to pull in flea circuses.
And much—much!—more.
Don't be a lame duck and get this book!
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2015
337 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 31, 2020
Wow, such a crazy list of unique info!
Holy Cow by Boze Hadleigh takes the reader on a history lesson though time about words and their origins, how they changed, and still evolving. Its very interesting to hear how some phrases came to be, how some make no sense, and the evolution of others. I find things like this fun!
Holy Cow by Boze Hadleigh takes the reader on a history lesson though time about words and their origins, how they changed, and still evolving. Its very interesting to hear how some phrases came to be, how some make no sense, and the evolution of others. I find things like this fun!
October 10, 2019
I was hoping for more info about the origins of all the words and phrases introduced in the book, rather than just a description of their meaning. Still, if you like words, you'll probably like this book.
August 17, 2016
I love books about words, slang, doggerel, colourful expressions and where they originated and how they changed over the years and the differences between British and American terms. It warms the cockles of my heart.
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December 6, 2017Fun,fun book. My wife had to tell me to be quiet as I kept telling her what I had learned as I read.
September 14, 2019
Boring
Dull dull. I didn't like it. It did not hold my interest. I found it to be very boring! Very boring
Dull dull. I didn't like it. It did not hold my interest. I found it to be very boring! Very boring
December 18, 2020
This book was rather fascinating! I enjoyed learning where words and phrases having to do with animals (such as "holy cow!") came from. It was interesting and fun - highly recommend it!
November 22, 2024
I found this book discounted via Boobub
Interesting facts, sometimes funny (I applaud Noel Coward on the doggy-style explanation), sometimes ridiculous or hard to believe but still true, or, for some, you are just wondering (faithful as a dog but jealous as a tiger in romances?). Some are worth researching more (pictures, songs, ...). The author missed some great opportunities about rabbits (ski, buckle, etc.). The first part of the Humble Pie is really confusing. I am glad the author talked about "eat like a bird is another misnomer" because I see that in fictions and they have it wrong every single time. I'm questioning why the author didn't check that fact instead of saying "supposedly resemble a goose’s foot". The phrase “free as a bird” is often taken out of context. There is an astonishing story about sea stars. The whole chapter about frogs and toads is equally funny and interesting. Deceitful facts about Cary Grant → that doesn't belong in this book. Another one is about dinosaurs. And the last one I found was about Dune; Dune is not a fairy tale; it's a fantasy space opera series for adults.
Interesting facts, sometimes funny (I applaud Noel Coward on the doggy-style explanation), sometimes ridiculous or hard to believe but still true, or, for some, you are just wondering (faithful as a dog but jealous as a tiger in romances?). Some are worth researching more (pictures, songs, ...). The author missed some great opportunities about rabbits (ski, buckle, etc.). The first part of the Humble Pie is really confusing. I am glad the author talked about "eat like a bird is another misnomer" because I see that in fictions and they have it wrong every single time. I'm questioning why the author didn't check that fact instead of saying "supposedly resemble a goose’s foot". The phrase “free as a bird” is often taken out of context. There is an astonishing story about sea stars. The whole chapter about frogs and toads is equally funny and interesting. Deceitful facts about Cary Grant → that doesn't belong in this book. Another one is about dinosaurs. And the last one I found was about Dune; Dune is not a fairy tale; it's a fantasy space opera series for adults.
September 16, 2025
Interesting concept, but the humor usually didn't land with me, nor did the incorrect facts and odd/missing usages.
-A cowlick is not a piece of hair that goes over your forehead (there was another hair-related fact that was wrong but I don't remember what it was)
-Qantas is the name of the airline, not Quantas
-Hercule Poirot, not Hercules
-The aviation definition of wingman was used, but not the common dating usage
-"Plenty of other fish in the ocean" (though the same phrase was used later with "sea" instead of "ocean")
-The word "shit" was censored every single time it came up, making it feel like this was not aimed at adults
-"Fruit Loops toucan and Sonny the Cuckoo Bird". That Toucan's name is Sam. Show some respect. It's also "Froot Loops", not "Fruit Loops".
Cool concept. Not well-edited.
-A cowlick is not a piece of hair that goes over your forehead (there was another hair-related fact that was wrong but I don't remember what it was)
-Qantas is the name of the airline, not Quantas
-Hercule Poirot, not Hercules
-The aviation definition of wingman was used, but not the common dating usage
-"Plenty of other fish in the ocean" (though the same phrase was used later with "sea" instead of "ocean")
-The word "shit" was censored every single time it came up, making it feel like this was not aimed at adults
-"Fruit Loops toucan and Sonny the Cuckoo Bird". That Toucan's name is Sam. Show some respect. It's also "Froot Loops", not "Fruit Loops".
Cool concept. Not well-edited.
June 17, 2021
The book explains the meanings and origins of common (or not so common) phrases that include animal names, like "Holy Cow!". It is arranged by the type of animal. Cats and Dogs have their own chapters, while other mammals are grouped together anf non-mammals are separate. It's not really the type of book that you would normally read cover -to-cover, rather one that you might scan through from time to time.
April 26, 2021
This is a fun little coffee table book, that elaborates on the origins of common idioms like "horse of a different color" or "can it!". There were quite a few surprises scattered throughout as well. Each of the idioms featured gets a short blurb about its history. However, I wish there was a little more explanation at times.
September 19, 2019
A remarkable collection of trivia about animals .
Learned a lot about English language and animal name derived words, plant names, fish names and other words & phrases. Animal name derivations were interesting.
Learned a lot about English language and animal name derived words, plant names, fish names and other words & phrases. Animal name derivations were interesting.
May 2, 2022
Boy, talk about trivia!
This guy must one curious dude! Obviously loves
his subject and must have taken years to do this research. Bet he had fun doing it!
I learned more than I was expecting to.
This guy must one curious dude! Obviously loves
his subject and must have taken years to do this research. Bet he had fun doing it!
I learned more than I was expecting to.
April 21, 2019
Fun book if you are into language stuff. Personally I enjoyed this book as it gives fun and interesting side of the language that we speak and use but never know how it all started.
May 29, 2020
Wanted more from an etymological work, left a lot to be desired.
Will give you some interesting tidbits to share with friends. More of a whistle stop tour than an in depth piece of any value.
Will give you some interesting tidbits to share with friends. More of a whistle stop tour than an in depth piece of any value.
August 28, 2020
An entertaining and educational book on the Animal words and Phrases.
October 22, 2020
Cute book about the sayings we use and how they came to be used.
August 4, 2021
Interesting information, could use better editing.
January 23, 2022
Truly interesting and quirky styling to boot! Love the little tangents and random pockets of seemingly irrelevant but somehow completely relevant information!
September 15, 2023
Breezy read. Half dictionary, half etymology it delivers about what you expect and surprises with some wit occasionally
November 1, 2024
I was hoping for more word origin history. This was some of that but also a lot of just definitions of words.
December 19, 2024
How boring. Like a dictionary but less interesting. Didn't finish.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews