IdiomAnimals
English
Englishnot look a gift horse in the mouth
Meaning: To find fault with a gift or to refuse a gift, usually because one is suspicious of the giver's motives.
Example: “The used bike has a few scratches, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Equivalents in other languages
French: À cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents Literally: One does not look at the teeth of a given horse
Origin: A horse's age can be judged by its teeth, so checking a gift horse's mouth means inspecting a present for its value. The saying is very old: St. Jerome quoted a Latin version in the 5th century, and John Heywood's proverb collection (1546) gives it in English.
More English idioms
- sacred cow An idea or thing that cannot be altered.
- something to crow about An exceptional accomplishment; an achievement that is worth bragging about.
- take the bull by the horns To take action in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
- talk turkey To talk seriously, usually about a business deal.
- white elephant An item that no one wants to buy or that is difficult to get rid of; a costly but useless…
- wild-goose chase A useless or difficult search.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Courir sur le haricot To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata You're really not the brightest.
- Eres más lento que el caballo del malo You're painfully slow — the villain's horse never catches the hero.
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