Q.
We know that we’re not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth. We may invoke this gifted horse etiquette a lot. But what does the phrase mean, and where does it originate?

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A.

First things first: the ‘gift horse’ idiom warns us not to be ungrateful when we are given a present.

Back in the day, someone gives you a horse. It seems like a generous gift, but is it? What if, gasp, the horse is past its prime? Instead of offering hearty thanks, you decide to investigate this equine further. How? You’ll check its teeth. Isn’t that one way to identify the age of a horse?

Many have assumed that horse teeth = date stamp, but the science is said to be inexact. So, instead of showing nothing but gratitude for this new horse, you’re busy both offending the gift-giver by scanning the horse’s mouth, and placing altogether too much stock in tooth clues.

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Header Photo: Johannes Kopf