Is Hold Your Horses A Southern Phrase?
If you grew up in the South, you know hearing the phrase “hold your horses” means hang on a minute or wait, but knowing where the expression comes from isn’t quite as common knowledge.
Where does the phrase hold your horses come from?
The term “hold your horses” means be patient or slow down. “Hold your horses” originates from a time before cars, when horse transportation was common. The term was used literally to tell someone to stop their horses or prevent them from moving off. Nowadays, it is used figuratively to mean be patient or slow down.
What does hold your horses mean in slang?
used to tell someone to stop and consider carefully their decision or opinion about something: Just hold your horses, Bill! Let’s think about this for a moment.
What kind of phrase is hold your horses?
idiom
“Hold your horses”, sometimes said as “Hold the horses”, is an English-language idiom meaning “wait, slow down“. The phrase is historically related to horse riding or travelling by horse, or driving a horse-drawn vehicle.
What to say instead of hold your horses?
Synonyms:I’m sorry, wait a minute/second, hang on, just a minute/moment/second, I hate to bother/interrupt/trouble etc.
What do cowboys say to stop a horse?
It’s whoa. This interjection means “stop.” You might use it as a command to stop a galloping horse.
What does hold the mayonnaise mean?
Definition of hold the mayo
: to not include mayonnaise She ordered a turkey sandwich and told the waiter to hold the mayo.
Is hold your horses rude?
Today, if someone acts better than everyone else, you might tell him to “get off your high horse.” And if someone is pushing you to do something, you can say, “Hold your horses!” This is a very informal way to tell someone to calm down and wait. You would not use it with your boss but you could use it with children.
What does the saying When Pigs Fly mean?
that something will never happen
US, informal. used to say that one thinks that something will never happen. The train station will be renovated when pigs fly.
What means take 5?
US, informal. : to take a brief break (as from work) They’re locked in a fierce debate over the last scene of their film … when camp director and Hollywood veteran Sam Dalton finally orders them to take five.
How do you say hello to a horse?
The most basic equine exercise is to connect with an untethered horse in a paddock. An Equest facilitator explained that the proper way to say hello to a horse is by gently extending your closed hand. The horse returns the greeting by touching your hand with its muzzle. Simple enough.
What does hold your water mean?
(idiomatic) To be patient; to control one’s impulses. quotations ▼ Hold your water, I’ll get to you in a minute.
How do you remember the death of a horse?
Horse Memorial Gifts You Can Display Indoors
- Portrait. One of the most thoughtful gifts to give to a horse lover is a portrait or drawing of his or her favorite animal.
- Engraved horseshoe. Find someone who will engrave a horseshoe with the name of the deceased animal.
- Plaque.
- Photo frame.
- Framed horse poem.
- Collectible.
Where does the expression kick the bucket come from?
The wooden frame used to hang animals by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket. As the animals struggled and spasmed, they were said to “kick the bucket.” The term gained broader definition when it was defined in Grose’s 1785 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: “To kick the bucket, to die.”
What does open a can of worms mean?
create a complicated situation
: to create a complicated situation in which doing something to correct a problem leads to many more problems. Our boss is reluctant to change the policy now because she doesn’t want to open a can of worms.
What does it mean once in the blue moon?
something extremely rare in occurrence
1. Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something extremely rare in occurrence. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars.
What does the idiom blue blood mean?
: membership in a noble or socially prominent family. -ˌbləd. : a member of a noble or socially prominent family.
What does slack off mean?
: to do something with less effort or energy than before. I was exercising regularly last summer, but I’ve been slacking off recently. : to become less active, forceful, etc. Their business has been slacking off in recent months.
What does take ten mean?
ten minute break
phrase. If someone tells you to take five or to take ten, they are telling you to have a five or ten minute break from what you are doing.
What does the idiom hold your horses mean for kids?
‘ Hold your horses: 1) slow down; 2) wait a moment; 3) be patient. Notes: The origin of this idiom comes from riding horses or driving horse-drawn carriages.
What is the origin of the phrase you can lead a horse to water?
This metaphoric term dates from the 12th century and was in John Heywood’s proverb collection of 1546. It is so well known that it is often shortened, as in the example.
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