Where did the phrase a horse a piece come from?
“A horse apiece”, meaning “six of one, half a dozen of the other,” comes from an old dice gambling game to describe a draw.
What is a horse piece?
Definition of horse piece : one of the large pieces into which blubber is cut before mincing.
Where did the term see a man about a horse come from?
Origin of see-a-man-about-a-horse The saying comes from the 1866 Dion Boucicault play, Flying Scud, in which a character knowingly breezes past a difficult situation saying, “Excuse me Mr. Quail, I can’t stop; I’ve got to see a man about a dog.”
Is it a piece or apiece?
Apiece means each. For example: The movie tickets cost $9.50 apiece. As two words, a piece means per piece, for something that comes in discrete pieces. For example: “We sold cake for $5 a piece” means that we sold each piece of cake for $5.
What does the saying I’m going to go see a man about a horse mean?
To see a man about a dog or horse is a British English idiom, usually used as a way to apologise for one’s imminent departure or absence, generally to euphemistically conceal one’s true purpose, such as going to use the bathroom or going to buy a drink.
What does see a man about a dog?
Excuse oneself without giving the real reason for leaving, especially to go to the toilet or have an alcoholic drink. For example, Excuse me, I have to see a man about a dog.
Is apiece a Scrabble word?
Yes, apiece is in the scrabble dictionary.
What does the saying I’m going to see a man about a dog mean?
What is the origin of the phrase’a horse apiece’?
“A horse apiece” means, as you supposed, “more or less equal” or “six of one, half dozen of the other.” Field researchers for The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) first heard “a horse apiece” in 1980, but the phrase is undoubtedly much older. A similar phrase, “horse and horse,” dates back to at least 1846.
What does a horse of peas mean?
The Word Detective, after confirming the phrase isn’t “it’s a horse of peas”, said in 2000: “A horse apiece” means, as you supposed, “more or less equal” or “six of one, half dozen of the other.”. Field researchers for The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) first heard “a horse apiece” in 1980,…
Where did the phrase’a horse perch perch’come from?
Field researchers for The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) first heard “a horse apiece” in 1980, but the phrase is undoubtedly much older. A similar phrase, “horse and horse,” dates back to at least 1846.
When did it become a horse apiece in baseball?
First from May 31, 1899 describing two baseball teams as appearing equal before a match: It’s a horse apiece. The shake-off occurs today. Second from April 18, 1904, also describing two baseball teams: It’s a horse apiece now with the Rock Island and Davenport on the ante-season baseball games.