What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Like being savaged by a dead sheep’?
This was said by combative UK Labour politician Dennis Healey on being criticized by the mild mannered Tory minister Geoffrey Howe in the UK House of Commons in June 1978.
Meaning
Like being savaged by a dead sheep
The meaning of the phrase
This was said by combative UK Labour politician Dennis Healey on being criticized by the mild mannered Tory minister Geoffrey Howe in the UK House of Commons in June 1978.
Historical trend
“savaged by a dead sheep” in printed material over time
Source: Google Books Ngrams (1940–2020).
- savaged by a dead sheep
Cited as a source
Referenced by 1 trusted source for this phrase
Backlink data verified June 2026 via Ahrefs (live index). These sources cite Phrase Finder as a reference for the meaning and origin of this expression.