sacred cow：神圣不可侵犯
Sacred cow这个说法源自本世纪初的印度。在印度，牛是神圣的，它们可以在马路上大摇大摆地走，即使影响交通也无人敢碰它们，由于印度古时候的宗教习惯是保护它们的。但，作为习惯用语，sacred cow是指某个人，或某样东西，从来没遭到批评或嘲笑，即使在应该批评的时候也无人敢如此做，就像印度的牛一样。
One of our biggest sacred cows is the national social security program which pays many older Americans a pension
大家最神圣不可侵犯的项目之一就是为美国老年人提供退休金的全国社会保障计划。
This has become her sacred cow - nothing can change her schedule rain or shine.
这已经成为她神圣不可侵犯的活动了，啥事都不可以改变她的日程，真是雷打不动。
cash cow：摇钱树
A cash cow is a business that is very profitable.收益丰厚的项目。
The new movie theater that they just opened by campus is a real cash cow.
学校旁边新开的那家用电器影院真是个摇钱树。
Play the lute1 to a cow: 对牛弹琴
也写作to cast pearls before swine/ preach to deaf ears
指那些说话或写东西不考虑到听众的人。 通常来讲，是说话人或作者高估了听众或读者，所以，这则成语嘲讽的主如果听众或观众，而不是说话者。
to kill the fatted calf2: 热情款待或者欢迎离家多年的人
Sorry this meal isn't much, John. We didn't have time to kill the fatted calf.
约翰，非常抱歉，饭菜不多，大家来不及设宴欢迎你。
a bull in a china shop: 一只闯进了瓷器店的公牛
to often drop or break things because you move awkwardly or roughly.
牛犊在西方文化中总是是褒义的，公牛的形象则并不是这样。虽然公牛很勇猛，但它总是表示卤莽。a bull in a china shop（一只闯进了瓷器店的公牛）表示既笨拙而又有破坏性的人，有时又可以指明显缺少机智的人。
While the wife was out, the husband tried to cook a meal in the kitchen, but he was just like a bull in a china shop.
老婆外出时，老公想在厨房做饭，结果弄得乱其八糟。
like a bull at a（five-barred）gate：做事情做得非常快，雷厉风行，快刀斩乱麻,
if you do something like a bull at a gate, you do it very quickly.
He wants to finish the shelves today so he's going at them like a bull at a gate.
他想今天把架子做好，所以做得飞快。
The Augean Stable ：奥吉亚斯的牛圈（肮脏的地方，藏垢纳秽之所，积弊）
这种说法来源于古希腊神话中关于赫拉克勒斯的英雄传闻。奥吉亚斯（Augeas）是古希腊西部厄利斯的国王。他有一个很大的牛圈，里面养了2000头年（一说3000匹马），30年来未清扫过，粪秽堆积如山，十分肮脏。因此，the Augean stable=very dirty place。在这里，stable除去泛指地址外，还可代表某些不好的的规范，下流的风俗和恶劣的作风等等。由此，大家用the Augean stable这个成语来比喻很地方或长期形成的积弊。它常比to clean, to cleanse3, to reform等动词连用，表示to bring about a drastic reform in some public evil的意思。
Although they know it is not easy to reform the Augean stables of this sociey, they are still trying to do it
尽管他们了解革除社会积弊很不简单，但他们仍然尽力去做。
The black Ox has trod on sbs foot: 灾祸临头/某人已到老年
也写作The black ox has trampled4 on sbs foot.
I know they have both suffered grief. They have has the black ox tread on their feet
我了解他两个都遭不幸。他们尝到了人世的悲痛。
have a cow ：担忧，不高兴，生气.
I thought he was going to have a cow when I told him I'd lost his key.
我想当我告诉他我弄丢了他的钥匙时他会非常生气。
ox-eyed：大双眼
The ox-eyed goddess joined her husband, noticed the heifer, praised its beauty, and asked whose it was and of what herd5
大眼女神走到老公身边，注目于那头小母牛，夸奖它的俊美，又问主人是哪个，是那个牛群。
fowls beak6 and ox buttocks:鸡口牛后
preferable to lead in petty position than to follow behind greater leader
宁为鸡口，无为牛后已广为流传，并让人们常常用。它比喻宁可在局面小的地方自主，而不愿在局面大的地方听人支配。
bull market：牛市
所谓牛市，也称多头市场，指证券市场行情常见看涨，延续时间较长的大升市。 此处的证券市场，泛指容易见到的股票、债券、期货、选择权、外汇、可出售定存单、衍生性金融产品及其它各种证券。
bull point:优势，略胜一筹
A bull point for the Lancashire and Midland operators is the new monopoly position within the companies' own areas.
对兰开厦和米律兰的经营者来讲，略胜一筹之处是他们在各自公司经营范围内所确立的新的垄断地位。
like a red rag to a bull：使人愤怒的, 让人极端烦恼的
if a statement or an action is like a red rag to a bull, it makes someone very angry.
For Claire, the suggestion of a women-only committee was like a red rag to a bull.
设立仅有女人的委员会的建议彻底激怒了克莱尔。