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hit a cow's arse with a banjo

hit a cow's arse with a banjo

9.9
To be very bad at aiming at a target
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : no dar ni una (vulgar)
  • After missing every shot, it was clear she couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

Examples

  • He couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo if he tried!

  • Frank's darts are so bad he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

  • When it comes to painting straight lines, he really can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

  • Did you see how he played? He really hit a cow's arse with a banjo!

  • Her aim was so poor that she couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo during the game.

  • When he tried to play darts, it was obvious he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

  • Despite his practice, he still couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo at the shooting range.

Synonyms

to be a tosser
vshit a cow's arse with a banjo
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To behave in a rude, stupid way

focuses on complete inability to hit or aim accurately rather than insult
to mishit
vshit a cow's arse with a banjo
6.0

To strike a ball badly so it goes wrong

is about broad extreme inability to aim or hit accurately
to organise a piss-up in a brewery
vshit a cow's arse with a banjo
  • NSFW
9.9

To be unable to manage even a very simple task because you are very bad at doing things

is about extreme inaccuracy when trying to aim or hit a target
find (one's) ass with both hands and a flashlight
vshit a cow's arse with a banjo
  • Offensive
9.9

Not able to do simple tasks, often confused and disorganized

focuses on being wildly inaccurate when aiming rather than general disorganization
couldn't find his ass with both hands
vshit a cow's arse with a banjo
  • Offensive
9.9

A rude way to say someone is very bad at simple tasks and easily confused

highlights failure to aim or hit accurately rather than general confusion
to be a clipcock
vshit a cow's arse with a banjo
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a foolish or careless way

implies extreme lack of aiming skill rather than just foolish behaviour

Antonyms

846 2.0

To reach a goal after trying hard

To reach the thing you aim at or the goal you planned

How Accurate

hit a cow's arse with a banjo
  • Offensive
9.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

hit + a + cow's + arse + with + a + banjo

The literal words ('hit', 'cow's arse', 'with a banjo') clearly describe striking a large target with an awkward instrument, so a learner can infer the general idea of failing to hit a target and thus being very inaccurate. However, the phrase is a colorful, culture-specific humorous idiom with profane register and an exaggerated metaphoric force, so the precise sense ('extremely incompetent/poor aim') is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Hit a cow's arse with a banjo may come from the silly picture of trying to hit a cow's small, moving back end with a big, awkward banjo, which would be almost impossible. So, the phrase now means 'to be very bad at aiming' or 'to lack skill'.