cock-and-bull story

A wildly exaggerated or falsified story or explanation. When I questioned Wendy about her recent tardiness, she gave me some cock-and-bull story about how her train took the wrong track and she had to hitchhike to work from the station across town.

cock-and-bull story

a hard-to-believe, made-up story; a story that is a lie. Don't give me that cock-and-bull story. I asked for an explanation, and all I got was your ridiculous cock-and-bull story!

cock and bull story

An unbelievable tale that is intended to deceive; a tall tale. For example, Jack told us some cock and bull story about getting lost. This expression may come from a folk tale involving these two animals, or from the name of an English inn where travelers told such tales. W.S. Gilbert used it in The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), where Jack Point and Wilfred the Jailer make up a story about the hero's fictitious death: "Tell a tale of cock and bull, Of convincing detail full." [c. 1600]

See also: and, bull, cock, story

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

a cock and bull story

If you describe an explanation or excuse as a cock and bull story, you mean that you do not believe it. They'll be believed, no matter what kind of a cock and bull story they tell. She tried to feed me some cock-and-bull story about taking care of you. Note: This expression may come from old fables in which animals such as cocks and bulls could talk. Alternatively, it may come from the names of inns, such as `The Cock' and `The Bull', where people gathered and told each other stories and jokes.

See also: and, bull, cock, story

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

a cock-and-bull story

a ridiculous and implausible story.

The expression ‘talk of a cock and a bull’ is recorded from the early 17th century, and apparently refers to an original story or fable which is now lost.

a ˌcock and ˈbull story

(informal) a story, an excuse or an explanation that is so unlikely that no one believes it: I asked him about his job and he gave me some cock and bull story about being so rich he didn’t need to work.

See also: and, bull, cock, story

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

cock and bull story

A far-fetched tale, intended to deceive. This term dates from approximately 1600, but its origin is obscure. Some say it refers to the name of an English coaching inn, a wayside stop for travelers where such tales were often spun. Others believe it alludes to a fable or folktale about a cock and a bull. By the eighteenth century the term meant a tall tale.

See also: and, bull, cock, story

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

See also:

a cock and bull story
a cock-and-bull story
cock and bull story
story
tale never loses in the telling
a tale never loses in the telling
a sting in the tail
sting in the tail
bedtime
bedtime story

References in periodicals archive

'Where did Hanif source such a cock-and-bull story?' Lim said in a statement.

Prove that I wanted to split peninsula, Kit Siang tells ex-IGP Hanif

A DRUNK driver who hatched a "cock-and-bull story" to avoid responsibility for smashing his car through a garden wall has been spared jail.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox QC, said: "You must have thought that the police might investigate your hitting the wall with that car and so you provoked, with your cock-and-bull story, their involvement.

NO JAIL FOR CRASH TALE; Driver made up car theft story

"Speaking as a former teacher of history, if a first-year student of mine had presented me with a cock-and-bull story like this, I'd give them an F for accuracy, but an A+ for invention and creativity."

TURK-ING A GOOD YARN

Try to contain your surprise then, when instead of a receipt, Val returns with a black eye and a cock-and-bull story about a gang of youths in hoodies.

We Love Telly!: SOAPWATCH EMMERDALE ITV1, 7pm

词组	cock-and-bull story
释义	cock-and-bull story cock-and-bull story A wildly exaggerated or falsified story or explanation. When I questioned Wendy about her recent tardiness, she gave me some cock-and-bull story about how her train took the wrong track and she had to hitchhike to work from the station across town. See also: story Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. cock-and-bull story a hard-to-believe, made-up story; a story that is a lie. Don't give me that cock-and-bull story. I asked for an explanation, and all I got was your ridiculous cock-and-bull story! See also: story McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. cock and bull story An unbelievable tale that is intended to deceive; a tall tale. For example, Jack told us some cock and bull story about getting lost. This expression may come from a folk tale involving these two animals, or from the name of an English inn where travelers told such tales. W.S. Gilbert used it in The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), where Jack Point and Wilfred the Jailer make up a story about the hero's fictitious death: "Tell a tale of cock and bull, Of convincing detail full." [c. 1600] See also: and, bull, cock, story The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. a cock and bull story If you describe an explanation or excuse as a cock and bull story, you mean that you do not believe it. They'll be believed, no matter what kind of a cock and bull story they tell. She tried to feed me some cock-and-bull story about taking care of you. Note: This expression may come from old fables in which animals such as cocks and bulls could talk. Alternatively, it may come from the names of inns, such as `The Cock' and `The Bull', where people gathered and told each other stories and jokes. See also: and, bull, cock, story Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. a cock-and-bull story a ridiculous and implausible story. The expression ‘talk of a cock and a bull’ is recorded from the early 17th century, and apparently refers to an original story or fable which is now lost. See also: story Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary a ˌcock and ˈbull story (informal) a story, an excuse or an explanation that is so unlikely that no one believes it: I asked him about his job and he gave me some cock and bull story about being so rich he didn’t need to work. See also: and, bull, cock, story Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary cock and bull story A far-fetched tale, intended to deceive. This term dates from approximately 1600, but its origin is obscure. Some say it refers to the name of an English coaching inn, a wayside stop for travelers where such tales were often spun. Others believe it alludes to a fable or folktale about a cock and a bull. By the eighteenth century the term meant a tall tale. See also: and, bull, cock, story The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: a cock and bull story a cock-and-bull story cock and bull story story tale never loses in the telling a tale never loses in the telling a sting in the tail sting in the tail bedtime bedtime story References in periodicals archive 'Where did Hanif source such a cock-and-bull story?' Lim said in a statement. Prove that I wanted to split peninsula, Kit Siang tells ex-IGP Hanif A DRUNK driver who hatched a "cock-and-bull story" to avoid responsibility for smashing his car through a garden wall has been spared jail. The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox QC, said: "You must have thought that the police might investigate your hitting the wall with that car and so you provoked, with your cock-and-bull story, their involvement. NO JAIL FOR CRASH TALE; Driver made up car theft story "Speaking as a former teacher of history, if a first-year student of mine had presented me with a cock-and-bull story like this, I'd give them an F for accuracy, but an A+ for invention and creativity." TURK-ING A GOOD YARN Try to contain your surprise then, when instead of a receipt, Val returns with a black eye and a cock-and-bull story about a gang of youths in hoodies. We Love Telly!: SOAPWATCH EMMERDALE ITV1, 7pm
随便看	come on like gangbusters come on line come online come on, man come on over come on stream come on strong come on the scene come on to (one) come on (too) strong come on top of come on top of (something) come on to someone come on to (something) come out come out (a certain way) on (something) come out against come out against (someone or something) come out ahead come out at come out at an amount come out badly come out fighting come out for come out for (someone or something)