Horseradish is not recorded as such before 1590. Now this is nothing to do with an equine, the first element is used to denote ‘strong, coarse, large’. Indeed. Once English also featured the terms: horsemushroom (1866), horsebalm (1808), horseparsley, horsemussel, horsemint, horseemmet (a large any) and horse marten (a large bee).
Horse latitudes is first used in 1777, although where it came from is anyone’s guess, but does refer to subtropical latitudes known for calm winds and low rainfall.
Horse pistol is seen from 1704, a large pistol used by those on horseback.
A dead horse is something no longer useful, and was used from the 1630s.
Flogging a dead horse, as in trying to revive something without success, is first seen in 1864.
Horsegodmother was a woman seen as rather masculine, first recorded in 1829.
Horse’s mouth, as in information directly from the source (or claimed to be) is first attested in 1921 – thought to have been a racing term first of all.
To swap horses midstream, indicating a bad move, seems to have come to the fore in the American Civil War and some maintain it is a direct quote from the writings of Abraham Lincoln (although Honest Abe never claimed to have coined the phrase, and doubtless won’t now).
Hold your horses – ie slow down a little – first appears in 1842.
Horse play, to lark about, is first seen in 1893.
Horse chestnuts were first named as such in a document from around 1590. Thought to have been named as these were fed to horses.
Clotheshorse, which is something used for drying the washing, dates from 1788. From 1850, the same term was applied to those who liked to show off their attire – also known as a clothes screen in 1830.
Getting on your high horse is first seen in the early 14th century.
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