2007-12-16 03:49:33 · 6 answers · asked by Nika 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
This also is a misquote of a Biblical passage. In the book of Numbers, God speaks to the prophet Balaam through a donkey; the phrase "straight from the donkey's mouth" has now become the phrase "straight from the horse's mouth". The phrase is used to indicate that something is definitely true, or heard firsthand; for example, "Yeah, it happened to Mark! I heard it straight from the horse's mouth!" Numbers 22:28 states: "And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam..."
2007-12-16 03:55:05 · answer #1 · answered by kitcatss 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The suggestion that it was based on a misunderstanding of Numbers 22 is dubious -- the passage does not reflect the idea of the idiom AND the earliest known uses of the expression print (20th century) do not suggest it.
In fact, the early uses connect it to "inside info" about a race, tips about how a particular horse might do.
In that light there it is a little support for the suggestion of some that it is connecting it with examining a horse's mouth for signs of age, health, etc. (a practice that IS reflected in the expression "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"). But that expression would seem to relate more to one expecting to BUY a horse, not for bettors at the track.
The MOST likely origin --and supported by the earliest attested uses-- is this. The best tips (for bettors) about a horse would generally be thought to come from someone very close to the horse every day and so really "in the know" -- such as the trainer or jockey. Well what would be closest "inside dope" of all? Not just from what someone like the trainer might say, but from the horse himself!
meaning:
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/from+the+horse's+mouth
origin:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/336400.html
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=650074
2007-12-16 07:08:07 · answer #2 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the reason is that back in the day when buying a horse, the owner could tell you anything and you didn'y know what you could believe. The teeth of a horse however often reflected how healthy the horse is, and obviously that can't be hidden.
2007-12-16 04:02:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That simply means the information stated is from the original source, not handed down from person to person. Funny old saying isn't it? There are lots like that.
2007-12-16 03:55:48 · answer #4 · answered by Tammy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Information coming to you from someone who knows the answer and it has not gone round a dozen other people first. In other words the truth without embellishment.
2007-12-16 03:52:55 · answer #5 · answered by SYJ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
received the information from the source
2007-12-16 03:52:30 · answer #6 · answered by pissy_old_lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try this site... (just click on the link below) Good luck
http://www.google.co.uk/custom?domains=www.phrases.org.uk&q=horse%27s+mouth&sitesearch=www.phrases.org.uk&client=pub-1661211094230592&forid=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%23008000%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23336699%3BVLC%3A663399%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3AFFFFFF%3BLBGC%3A336699%3BALC%3A0000FF%3BLC%3A0000FF%3BT%3A000000%3BGFNT%3A0000FF%3BGIMP%3A0000FF%3BFORID%3A1%3B&hl=en
2007-12-16 04:02:43 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋