gift horse

gift horse
An apparent gift, that has substantial associated costs.

Having now, as he thought, balanced this little account of friendship, the captain was about to shift his saddle to this noble gift-horse when the affectionate patriarch plucked him by the sleeve, and introduced to him a whimpering, whining, leathern-skinned old squaw, that might have passed for an Egyptian mummy, without drying. "This," said he, "is my wife; she is a good wifeI love her very much.She loves the horseshe loves him a great dealshe will cry very much at losing him.I do not know how I shall comfort herand that makes my heart very sore."


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  • gift-horse — /ˈgɪft hɔs / (say gift haws) phrase look a gift horse in the mouth, to criticise a gift; accept a gift ungratefully. {Phrase Origin: from the practice of looking at a horse s teeth to ascertain its age before buying it, a check on value being… …  

  • Gift Horse — Infobox Album | Name = Gift Horse Type = Album Artist = Lost Dogs Released = 2000 Recorded = The Green Room (Huntington Beach, California) Genre = Roots music Length = Label = BEC Records Producer = Terry Scott Taylor Gene Eugene Derri Daugherty… …   Wikipedia

  • gift horse — noun a gift (usually of inferior quality) that should be accepted uncritically (Freq. 1) it wasn t much, but don t look a gift horse in the mouth • Hypernyms: ↑gift …   Useful english dictionary

  • Gift Horse (film) — Infobox Film name = Gift Horse (1952 film) also known as = Glory at Sea (USA) caption = DVD cover director = Compton Bennett producer = George Pitcher writer = Trevor Howard Richard Attenborough James Donald Sonny Tufts Bernard Lee Dora Bryan… …   Wikipedia

  • To look a gift horse in the mouth — Horse Horse (h[^o]rs), n. [AS. hors; akin to OS. hros, D. & OHG. ros, G. ross, Icel. hross; and perh. to L. currere to run, E. course, current Cf. {Walrus}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A hoofed quadruped of the genus {Equus}; especially, the domestic horse… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • gift horse — n. present (generally of inferior quality) that should be accepted in an uncritical manner …   English contemporary dictionary

  • look a gift horse in the mouth — phrasal : to criticize and find fault with a gift * * * look a gift horse in the mouth To criticize, delay or niggle over a gift or lucky opportunity (orig to look at a gift horse s teeth to tell its age) • • • Main Entry: ↑gift * * * find fault… …   Useful english dictionary

  • The Gift Horse — Infobox Television episode | Title = The Gift Horse Series = Frasier Season = 5 Episode = 02 Airdate = 30 September 1997 Production = 40571 012 Writer = Ron Darian Director = Pamela Fryman Prev = Frasier s Imaginary Friend Next = Halloween (1)… …   Wikipedia

  • never look a gift horse in the mouth — A horse’s age is commonly gauged by the state of its teeth. The proverb warns against questioning the quality or use of a lucky chance or gift. Cf. a 420 ST. JEROME Commentary on Epistle to Ephesians Preface noli..ut vulgare proverbium est, equi… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • look a gift horse in the mouth — To complain if a gift is not perfect. A proverb. Usually used with a negative. * /John gave Joe a baseball but Joe complained that the ball was old. His father told him not to look a gift horse in the mouth./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

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