bell cow
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of bell cow
An Americanism dating back to 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Visitors to “the new aristocratic suburb” dubbed Palm Place would have found one home, an architectural bell cow, standing in an empty field.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2022
Gibson, last year’s bell cow, is still big for a running back at 6 feet, but he doesn’t run with the same sort of bulldozer style that Robinson is known for.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 24, 2022
Though Davis’ 10 rushing touchdowns leads the Pac-12, UW noticeably lacks a bell cow back.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 23, 2022
He looks tentative and plodding, nothing like a bell cow back.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 24, 2022
That was the bell cow, whom, of course, none of the other cows dared to disturb.
From Lisbeth Longfrock by Poulsson, Laura E. (Laura Elizabeth)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
