Meaning
Behave so foolishly in public that you become a ridiculous spectacle. Informal and admonishing. 'Holy' is an intensifier; the phrase does not normally allege sacrilege. Regional use: Irish English, including Northern Ireland.
Origin
In Hiberno-English a 'show' can be an embarrassing or ridiculous sight, and 'holy' works as an intensifier rather than a literal religious description. Irish writers and lexicographers record both 'a holy show' and the warning not to make one of yourself. Its exact beginning is uncertain, but it is established vernacular usage rather than a recent literal translation.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- Be a holy show
- Make a show of yourself
Usage Examples
- Come down from that table before you make a holy show of yourself.
- He made a show of himself arguing with a painted sign.
- Do not turn the wedding into a holy show over a missing button.