ProverbHuman Nature
English origin1621
English origin1621Beggars on horseback
Meaning: Those given power abuse it worst.
Origin: Short for "Set a beggar on horseback and he will ride a gallop" — or, in harsher versions, ride to the devil. Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621) has the gallop version. The beggar suddenly given a horse is anyone raised to wealth or power who has no idea how to handle it.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- رمى بنفسه في التهلكة (ramā bi-nafsihi fī at-tahluka) Someone deliberately puts themselves in danger or a hopeless situation through recklessne…
- أكل العيش والملح مع شخص (Akal al-'aysh wal-milh ma'a shakhs) Shared intimate bond or deep friendship forged through shared hardship and simple living…
- 杞憂 (Kiyū) Unnecessary worry about things that won't happen; baseless anxiety.
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