holy

Related to holy: Holy Bible, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, Holy god, Holy Quran

(Holy) Mother of God

An exclamation of alarm, amazement, or exasperation. (Could be considered blasphemous to some.) Holy Mother of God, I thought that car was going to hit me! Oh, Mother of God, could you work any slower?
See also: god, mother, of

a holy stink

slang A fuss. There's no need to raise a holy stink about this, Eleanor—we'll figure something out.
See also: holy, stink

a holy terror

A very troublesome, aggressive, or aggravating person; a person who is exasperatingly difficult in manner or behavior. I know that I was a holy terror when I was young, so I guess it's fitting that my own kids give me so much trouble.
See also: holy, terror

be in holy orders

To have been ordained a priest. Holy Orders is the sacrament by which one becomes a priest. Michael always wanted to be a priest, so I'm not surprised to hear that he's in holy orders now.
See also: holy, order

holier-than-thou

Sanctimonious; maintaining an obnoxious air of moral superiority or condescension. (Usually used before a noun, especially "attitude.") While he makes good points, his holier-than-thou attitude is not likely to win him many allies.

holy cow

An exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy cow, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy cow, that's amazing news!
See also: cow, holy

holy crap

A mildly indecent exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy crap, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy crap, that's amazing news!
See also: crap, holy

holy crap on a cracker

A mildly indecent exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. (An emphatic form of "holy crap.") Holy crap on a cracker, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy crap on a cracker, that's amazing news!
See also: cracker, crap, holy, on

holy crickets

An exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy crickets, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy crickets, that's amazing news!
See also: cricket, holy

holy fuck

rude slang An exclamation, typically of surprise, dismay, or anger. Holy fuck, did someone hit my car? Look at the size of that bear! Holy fuck!
See also: fuck, holy

holy Hannah

An exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy Hannah, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy Hannah, that's amazing news!
See also: holy

Holy Joe

1. A minister or clergyman. I hope the Holy Joe is in the chapel right now—I really need to talk to someone.
2. Someone who is very pious or moralistic, especially in a sanctimonious or self-righteous manner. Our neighbor Clarence can be such a Holy Joe to us whenever we miss Mass.
See also: holy, joe

holy mackerel

An exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy mackerel, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy mackerel, that's amazing news!
See also: holy, mackerel

holy moley

An exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy moley, the bill for that dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy moley, that's amazing news!
See also: holy, moley

holy of holies

A sacred or special place. Although used more generally today, the phrase originally described the sanctuary of the tabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. When it comes to college basketball, this is sacred ground—the holy of holies.
See also: holy, of

holy shit

rude slang An exclamation of surprise, shock, or astonishment. Holy shit, the bill for the dinner is nearly $200! We won the lottery? Holy shit, that's amazing news!
See also: holy, shit

holy smoke(s)

An exclamation expressing surprise or amazement. Holy smokes! Have you ever seen a car go so fast? We won the lottery? Holy smoke, that's amazing news!
See also: holy

take holy orders

To join the priesthood. Holy Orders is the sacrament by which one becomes a priest. Michael has always wanted to be a priest, and he's finally going to take holy orders later this year.
See also: holy, order, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Holy cow!

Inf. Wow! Holy cow! I never expected such a nice gift! Give me a chance! Holy cow, don't rush me!
See also: holy

holy Joe

 
1. a chaplain; a cleric; a clergyman. I went to see the holy Joe, and he was a lot of help. Old holy Joe wants to see all of us at services.
2. a very pious person. Martin looks stuffy, but he's no holy Joe. Don't let that holy Joe hear about what you've done.
See also: holy, joe

Holy mackerel!

Inf. Wow! Holy mackerel! What a beautiful day! Holy mackerel! What's this? A new car?
See also: holy

Holy moley!

Inf. Wow! Holy moley! A whole quarter! Look, here's another one! Holy moley!
See also: holy
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

holy cow

Also, holy mackerel or Moses or moly or smoke . An exclamation of surprise, astonishment, delight, or dismay, as in Holy cow, I forgot the wine, or Holy mackerel, you won! or Holy Moses, here comes the teacher! or Holy smoke, I didn't know you were here too. The oldest of these slangy expletives uses mackerel, dating from about 1800; the one with Moses dates from about 1850 and cow from about 1920. None has any literal significance, and moly is a neologism devised to rhyme with "holy" and possibly a euphemism for "Moses."
See also: cow, holy

holy of holies

A place of awe or sacredness, as in The corporate board room is the holy of holies here. This expression is a translation of the Hebrew term for the sanctuary inside the tabernacle of the Temple of Jerusalem, where the sacred Ark of the Covenant was kept (Exodus 26:34). Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1800s.
See also: holy, of

holy terror

An exasperating individual, as in He was only five, but he was a holy terror, running wild through the house and throwing whatever he could lay his hands on . The adjective holy here is an intensifier. [Late 1800s]
See also: holy, terror
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

holier-than-thou

If you describe someone as holier-than-thou, you mean that they seem to believe that they have better moral qualities than anyone else. He has always sounded holier-than-thou. I'm not going to be all holier-than-thou about this.

the holy of holies

If you describe something, especially a place, as the holy of holies, you mean that people think it is the most special or important thing of its kind. Last year, his work was performed at the Aldeburgh Festival, the holy of holies in the contemporary British music scene. Note: In a Jewish synagogue, the holy of holies is the inner room which only the chief rabbi may enter.
See also: holy, of
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

holier than thou

characterized by an attitude of self-conscious virtue and piety.
This phrase comes from Isaiah 65:5: ‘Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou’.
See also: holy, thou

holy of holies

a place or thing regarded as sacrosanct.
The reference here is to the Hebrew phrase for the inner chamber of the sanctuary in the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem, separated by a veil from the outer chamber.
See also: holy, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌholy of ˈholies

(humorous) a special place which only particular people can enter: This room is the holy of holies. It contains the most valuable books in the world. The boss invited me into his holy of holies this morning. What a fantastic office he’s got!
In a Jewish temple, the holy of holies is the inner part, which only the chief priest can enter.
See also: holy, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

holier-than-thou

mod. superior in piety; condescending. She has such a holier-than-thou attitude.

Holy cow!

exclam. Wow! Give me a chance! Holy cow, don’t rush me!
See also: holy

holy Joe

1. n. a chaplain; a cleric; a clergyman. Old holy Joe wants to see all of us at services.
2. n. a very pious person. Don’t let that holy Joe hear about what you’ve done.
See also: holy, joe

Holy mackerel!

(ˈholi ˈmækrəl)
exclam. Wow! Holy mackerel! What a day!
See also: holy

Holy moley!

(ˈholi ˈmoli)
exclam. Wow! (The exclamation used by the comic book character Captain Marvel.) Holy moley! A whole quarter! Shazam!
See also: holy

holy stink

n. anything repellent; a real mess; a great argument or debate; a major issue. You really created a holy stink with that silly remark.
See also: holy, stink

holy terror

n. a devilish person; a badly behaving child. Why is the boss such a holy terror today?
See also: holy, terror
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

holier than thou

Sanctimonious, pretending moral superiority. This term comes from the Bible (Isaiah 65:5), where the prophet, speaking of sinners, holds that they say “Come not near me, for I am holier than thou.” The term is often used as an adjective (and hyphenated: holier-than-thou) as in Sinclair Lewis’s novel Babbitt (1922), “But I don’t want you to think you can get away with any of that holier-than-thou stuff.”
See also: holy, thou
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • (Holy) Mother of God
  • (oh) (my) God!
  • god
  • my God
  • by God
  • find God
  • to God
  • to God/goodness/Heaven
  • T.G.I.F.
References in classic literature
We know that the valley is not sacred; we know that the Holy Therns are not holy; that they are a race of cruel and heartless mortals, knowing no more of the real life to come than we do.
From there she was to lead us to the summit of the cliffs, from where it would require both wondrous wit and mighty fighting to win our way through the very heart of the stronghold of the Holy Therns to the world without.
"And even then, O Prince," she cried, "the arm of the Holy Thern is long.
Notest thou not the remarkable resemblance between this Holy Thern and thyself?"
The Gods of Mars
Thine are of a carnal nature; mine are of a spiritual nature, a holy work, so to speak; moreover, mine affairs do lie upon the other side of this stream.
I might have known from thy looks that thou wert no such holy man as thou didst pretend to be."
Thus it came about that, by the time he had reached the other bank with his load, the Friar's sword belt was loose albeit he knew it not; so when Robin stood on dry land and the Friar leaped from his back, the yeoman gripped hold of the sword so that blade, sheath, and strap came away from the holy man, leaving him without a weapon.
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
"But it is to thy grosser feelings that we must turn in such natures as thine, and as thou art no longer under the shield of holy church there is the less difficulty.
The White Company
He even went so far as to snatch his holy wig from his head and throw it in my face, so as to blind me for a moment while he thrust at my unprotected breast.
Warlord of Mars
295-305) And in a hollow cave she bare another monster, irresistible, in no wise like either to mortal men or to the undying gods, even the goddess fierce Echidna who is half a nymph with glancing eyes and fair cheeks, and half again a huge snake, great and awful, with speckled skin, eating raw flesh beneath the secret parts of the holy earth.
334-345) And Tethys bare to Ocean eddying rivers, Nilus, and Alpheus, and deep-swirling Eridanus, Strymon, and Meander, and the fair stream of Ister, and Phasis, and Rhesus, and the silver eddies of Achelous, Nessus, and Rhodius, Haliacmon, and Heptaporus, Granicus, and Aesepus, and holy Simois, and Peneus, and Hermus, and Caicus fair stream, and great Sangarius, Ladon, Parthenius, Euenus, Ardescus, and divine Scamander.
346-370) Also she brought forth a holy company of daughters
Collection Of Hesiod Homer and Homerica
``I dare be sworn he did so,'' said the knight; ``I was convinced that there was better food in the cell, Holy Clerk, since you first doffed your cowl.
``every thing in your hermitage is miraculous, Holy Clerk!
Far be it from me to suspect so holy a man of aught inhospitable; nevertheless I will be highly bound to you would you comply with this Eastern custom.''
Ivanhoe