kill the fatted calf

English

Etymology

From the parable of the prodigal son in the New Testament.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

kill the fatted calf (third-person singular simple present kills the fatted calf, present participle killing the fatted calf, simple past and past participle killed the fatted calf)

1. (idiomatic) To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.

Translations

begin a festive celebration

• Dutch: het vetgemeste kalf slachten
• Finnish: teurastaa syöttövasikka (biblical)
• French: tuer le veau gras (fr)
• Italian: uccidere il vitello grasso
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: slakte gjøkalven (no)

• Polish: obchodzić czyjś powrót impf
• Swedish: slakta gödkalven