Tuesday, 26 July 2011

‘look a gift horse in the mouth’

look a gift horse in the mouth means hat when someone gives you a gift, don’t go about finding fault with it. Accept it for what it’s worth.

Examples:  My friend is leaving for the U.S for six months. She said that I could stay in her flat for free. Though there are several things wrong with the flat, I’ve decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Origin:  People can tell how old a horse is by looking at its teeth. The longer the teeth, the older the horse is. So when someone gifts you a horse, don’t open its mouth to find out how young or old it is. If it is old, don’t complain about it. After all, the horse is a gift.  Accept the gift for what it’s worth.

Source: ‘Know Your English’ ( The Hindu) – June 5, 2006

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