This week’s theme
Words with horse-related origins

This week’s words
wheel horse
caballine
horse's mouth
chivalrous
cock-horse

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(HOR-ses/siz mouth)

MEANING:

noun: The original or authentic source of some information.

ETYMOLOGY:

The term has its origin in horse racing. If you wanted tips on how a horse was doing on a particular day, what better way than to hear it directly from the horse’s mouth? Earliest documented use: 1896.

USAGE:

“Mrs Bates was fishing. She knew full well that he and Lula had been seeing each other -- she just wanted confirmation from the horse’s mouth.”
Louisa Heaton; His Perfect Bride?; Harlequin; 2015.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: