what does never look a gift horse in the mouth mean?

Answer 1

It means the same as "don't bite the hand that feeds you" roughly. Be grateful for what you get rather then looking further into it or around it (for something better) as you might get bitten!

Answer 2

This proverb indeed refers to the practice of gauging a horse's age by the condition of its teeth. The proverb warns against questioning the value of something received by luck or chance. It doesn't allude to the Trojan Horse--after all, it would have been a good idea if the Trojans had looked that gift horse in the mouth! (For a proverb that does refer to the Trojan Horse as a gift, we have "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts," a borrowing from the Roman poet Virgil.)

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth is a well-established proverb. It is first found in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, and in England in several proverb collections in the sixteenth. But it was in wide circulation a millennium before that; in the fifth century, St. Jerome, in a Biblical commentary, wrote "Noli...ut vulgare proverbium est, equi dentes inspicere donati," or "Don't, as the common proverb has it, look at the teeth of a gift horse."

Answer 3

If you recieve something free, such as a gift or unexpected favor, do not ask why or ask the reason why someone is doing you a favor. Just accept it and ask no questions.

Noun
1. gift horse - a gift (usually of inferior quality) that should be accepted uncritically; "it wasn't much, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

gift - something acquired without compensation

Answer 4

Like many sayings they come from real life. A person who knows about horses can tell the age of the horse by how much the horse's teeth has worn down. It is impolite to not receive a gift graciously even though you might not like it at all. You say thank you,how thought full,instead take it back I don't like it.

Answer 5

It means, "If someone gives you a gift, don't start examining the gift to see what's wrong with it."

People used to look at horses' mouths to see how healthy they are, how old they are, etc.

For example:
Someone did me a big favor. I should just appreciate it instead of spending time and energy trying to figure out why they did me the favor or what they expected to gain for it.

Answer 6

When horses are old, their teeth get worn out. So if someone gives you a horse for a gift, looking in its mouth means you're trying to tell how old it is. Meaning, you aren't very grateful for your gift.

Answer 7

You can tell a horses age by their teeth so I guess that means don't be picky about how old he is it was a gift. So that moves to the general don't question a gift.

Answer 8

When someone presents you a horse, you dont open its mouth to check its teeth; in other words check its age.
Likewise when someone gives you a gift, do not look on the back to check the price. It is insulting and not done.

Answer 9

I've always thought this saying referred to the Trojan Horse story. The Trojan Horse was a gift, but was filled with enemy troops. I could be wrong about this, though.

Answer 10

If someone gives you something free do not complain about it.
If i gave you a horse free , would you look in the mouth to see its age ?