Till the cows come home

Definitions

• for a very long time
  To indicate that something will continue or take a long time to complete, usually in a negative or impatient tone.

• indefinitely
  To emphasize that something will continue endlessly or without a definite end, often in a negative or exaggerated way.

• excessively
  To express that something is being done to an extreme or excessive degree, typically in a negative or disapproving manner.

Examples of Till the cows come home

• She'll work on this project till the cows come home.

  This idiom is used to describe a situation that will continue indefinitely, implying an extremely long time. The phrase "till the cows come home" is an old-fashioned way of saying "forever" or "until the end of time". It originated from the practice of farmers allowing their cows to graze in the fields all day and night, and then returning them to the barn. The phrase implies that the task being referred to will take as long as it takes for the cows to return home, which could be an extremely long time.

• They argued about the same thing till the cows came home.

  This idiom is used to describe a situation where people continue to argue about the same thing for an extremely long time. The phrase "till the cows came home" is an old-fashioned way of saying "forever" or "until the end of time". It originated from the practice of farmers allowing their cows to graze in the fields all day and night, and then returning them to the barn. The phrase implies that the argument being referred to will take as long as it takes for the cows to return home, which could be an extremely long time.

• I'll be here till the cows come home.

  This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone will remain in a particular place for an extremely long time. The phrase "till the cows came home" is an old-fashioned way of saying "forever" or "until the end of time". It originated from the practice of farmers allowing their cows to graze in the fields all day and night, and then returning them to the barn. The phrase implies that the person being referred to will remain in the place being referred to until the cows return home, which could be an extremely long time.

• He's been working on this project till the cows came home.

  This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone has been working on a particular task for an extremely long time. The phrase "till the cows came home" is an old-fashioned way of saying "forever" or "until the end of time". It originated from the practice of farmers allowing their cows to graze in the fields all day and night, and then returning them to the barn. The phrase implies that the person being referred to has been working on the task being referred to until the cows return home, which could be an extremely long time.

• She's been waiting for him till the cows came home.

  This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone has been waiting for someone else for an extremely long time. The phrase "till the cows came home" is an old-fashioned way of saying "forever" or "until the end of time". It originated from the practice of farmers allowing their cows to graze in the fields all day and night, and then returning them to the barn. The phrase implies that the person being referred to has been waiting for the person being referred to until the cows return home, which could be an extremely long time.

Conclusion

"Till the cows come home" is a versatile idiom that can be used to convey different meanings of long duration, whether it be for a very long time, indefinitely, or excessively. It is often used in a negative or impatient tone to express frustration or impatience with the length or extent of something.

Origin of "Till the cows come home"

The origin of this idiom is uncertain, but there are a few theories about its origin. One theory suggests that it originated from the farming practice of cows returning to the barn at the end of a day of grazing, which could take a long time if the cows were left to roam freely. Another theory suggests that it may have originated from the Scottish phrase "till the kye come hame," where "kye" is a Scottish word for cows.

Regardless of its exact origin, the expression has been used in English since the 16th century and has become a well-known idiom in many English-speaking countries. It is often used in colloquial and informal language, adding a playful and exaggerated tone to the phrase. "Till the cows come home" has also been referenced in popular culture, such as in the song "Till the Cows Come Home" by American country singer Garth Brooks.