phrase
General Slang
I'll tell you how the cow ate the cabbage
eyel TEL yoo how the KOW ate the KAB-ij · phrase · informal
I'm about to tell you the plain truth.
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Definitions
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A preface warning that the speaker is about to be blunt and set matters straight.
“Sit down—I'm gonna tell you how the cow ate the cabbage.”
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I'll tell you how the cow ate the cabbage In A Sentence
Sit down—I'm gonna tell you how the cow ate the cabbage.
Origin & Usage
Southern idiom signaling frank, no-nonsense truth-telling.
Variants
tell you how the cow ate the cabbage
People Also Ask
What does "tell you how the cow ate the cabbage" mean?
It's a warning that the speaker is about to be blunt and give you the plain, unvarnished truth.
How do you use this phrase?
You say it as a preface before delivering frank criticism or setting someone straight.
Where is it from?
It's a Southern American idiom used to signal no-nonsense truth-telling.
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