Strong as an ox
Meaning
To be incredibly physically powerful and robust.
Origin
Imagine the dawn of agriculture, back when horsepower literally meant the power of a horse—or, more often, an ox. For millennia, these mighty, docile bovines were the engines of human civilization, yoked to plows, pulling incredible loads across fields, clearing land, and hauling goods over vast distances. An ox's sheer brute strength and unwavering endurance were legendary, a constant, visible marvel to everyone who worked the land. It wasn't just their size; it was their sustained, relentless power. This everyday sight of an ox tirelessly performing the heaviest labor cemented its status as the ultimate symbol of physical might, making 'strong as an ox' a natural, enduring testament to formidable human strength.
Examples
- The weightlifter was strong as an ox, easily lifting double his own weight.
- After a summer of manual labor, he returned to school strong as an ox, ready for football season.