2006-10-18 02:49:08 · 11 answers · asked by mamakrn 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
People judge a horses age by looking at its teeth. The old saying meant to state that a gift is a gift why seek its value it was free to you.
2006-10-18 02:52:35 · answer #1 · answered by djmantx 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002.
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Don’t question the value of a gift. The proverb refers to the practice of evaluating the age of a horse by looking at its teeth. This practice is also the source of the expression “long in the tooth,” meaning old.
2006-10-18 02:54:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do not know who said it originally but it means that when given a gift you should never sneer at it or criticise it but accept it and be appreciative of it as it comes. It originates from the horse sale settings where horses are looked at in the mouth to check for age or illness before being bought. Obviously if the horse is a gift it is all gain and it is a futile endeavor to check it out... also doing this will probably stunt the possibility of the event ever occuring again.
2006-10-18 02:54:41 · answer #3 · answered by MAC C 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Saying: DON'T LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH.
Who Said It: St. Jerome
When: 400 A.D.
The Story behind It: This proverb is based on the fact that a horse's value is determined by his age, which, in turn, can be roughly determined by an examination of his teeth. The message conveyed is that a gift should be appreciated for the thought and spirit behind it, not according to its value. St. Jerome, who never accepted payment for his writings, first used the phrase in reply to his literary critics. His exact words: "Never inspect the teeth of a gift horse."
2006-10-18 21:51:06 · answer #4 · answered by Michael 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” refers to being rude or ungrateful for a gift or opportunity. It stems from the fact that horse dealers look at a horse's teeth to determine how old a horse is and his predisposition to remaining healthy into old age
2006-10-18 02:59:08 · answer #5 · answered by david p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Looking at its teeth is one way to tell if a horse is in good condition. So if someone gave you a gift horse and the first thing you did was look in its mouth (at the teeth), you would be questioning the quality of the gift.
So the saying means to not question the quality of gifts. Even if it's not the very best, it's still a gift.
The saying is very old and i have never heard it attrbuted to any particuler person.
Good Luck
2006-10-18 02:58:35 · answer #6 · answered by fredshelp 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like something Poor Richard would say. That's Franklin not Prier.
Your uncle works for large corporation, and gets you job as VP of Internet division day you finish school. You'd be looking gift horse in the mouth if you complainedd that it wasn't president position. When you get something you may not fully deserve don't complaine about it.
2006-10-18 03:08:01 · answer #7 · answered by Mister2-15-2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Horses age is known by its teeth. That's why they said when a gift is given to you don not try to find how old it is!
2006-10-18 02:54:07 · answer #8 · answered by Brahmanda 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i dont think anyone in particular said it but it means, when you get a gift ( like a horse) dont go straight for it's flaws, or try to find someting wrong with it. (you can tell a healthy horse by its teeth)
2006-10-18 02:52:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It means if you are given a gift, just accept it graciously instead of complaining about its quality.
It refers to the fact that a method of determining the quality/age of a horse is to look at its teeth.
There is no source that I can find about who said it first, it is just an idiom/cliche.
2006-10-18 02:50:48 · answer #10 · answered by Dentata 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋