"Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth"

byCMacLellan

733 followers

2 years ago

Good Morning and Happy Saturday! Today I bring you the idiom...."Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth"

Meaning:

The idiom "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" means that when you receive a gift or something given to you for free, you shouldn't be overly critical or skeptical about its value or quality. Instead, you should be grateful for the gesture and accept it with appreciation, regardless of any imperfections or shortcomings it may have. Essentially, it's a reminder to be gracious and not to nitpick or scrutinize gifts given freely to you.

Origin:

The idiom "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" originates from the practice of examining a horse's teeth to determine its age and overall health. In ancient times, people would often give each other horses as gifts, and one way to assess the value of the gift was by checking the teeth of the horse.

If someone were to receive a horse as a gift, it was considered impolite or ungrateful to scrutinize the quality of the horse by examining its teeth, as this could imply that they were questioning the value or worthiness of the gift. Essentially, the idiom means that when someone gives you something, you shouldn't criticize it or be overly critical of its value, but rather appreciate the gesture of generosity.

Thanks for reading and Have a Great Weekend!

-Chuck