cock and bull story
cock and bull story
Meaning
- complicated, ridiculous, or unbelievable story
- a story or explanation which is obviously not true
- an unbelievable and fanciful story
- a far fetched or implausible tale, used as an explanation or excuse
- an exaggerated or falsified story
- an absurd or improbable story presented as truth
Example Sentences
- She started to tell some cock and bull story to the police officers about how she found a huge bag containing 5 pounds of gold.
- When I asked him about his progress he tried to give me a cock and bull story, but did not care to hear what he said.
- When he was high after a few drinks at the party, he gave us a cock and bull story about how his life had been in danger several times and how he had heroically saved himself every time.
- When we asked him about his background, he gave us a cock and bull story about being from a royal bloodline and having spent his childhood in palaces.
- I don't believe one bit of your cock and bull story.
- Don't give me that cock and bull story. You should have completed this long time ago.
Origin
This phrase was first recorded in English in 1621 in Robert Burton's “The Anatomy of Melancholy”. It is believed that the phrase refers to stories about magical animals. There is an alternate but implausible theory that the phrase originated in Stony Stratford in England. This town had two coaching inns named Cock and Bull and it is said that travelers would exchange fanciful and exaggerated stories. However, there is no evidence that this term originated from these two inns.