kill the fatted calf
Welcome home lavishly
To kill the fatted calf is to celebrate lavishly, especially when welcoming someone home after a long absence.
The phrase comes from the biblical parable of the prodigal son, where the father slaughters a prized calf to feast the wayward son's return.
It often carries a note of irony—suggesting the celebration may be excessive or the honoree undeserving: They killed the fatted calf for him even though he'd been gone gambling away the family money.
- rejoiceFeel or show delight
- go all outCommit completely, withhold nothing
- celebrateHonor through festivity
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- feastElaborate ceremonial meal
prodigal son · come back home · revel · forgiveness · banquet · slaughter · reconciliation · repentance · calf · generosity · mercy · throw a party · reception · welcome · roll out the red carpet · loving father · merrymaking · kill
kill the fatted calfgive the cold shoulder
cold reception · turn away · shut the door on · shun · snub
kill the fatted calfscrimp
Spend very sparingly
scrimp and save · pinch pennies · tighten one's belt · tighten the purse strings · economize
killed, killing, killer, killers, fatted, fatten, fattens, fattened, fattening