charley horse
A muscle cramp, usually a strong one, in the thigh, leg, arm, or core.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I got a charley horse in my leg last night.”
“Swimming in cold water often gives me a charley horse.”
“She woke up with a painful charley horse and had to walk it off.”
“If you do not drink enough water before your workout, you might develop a painful charley horse in your calf.”
“The soccer player had to pause the game because a charley horse made his thigh muscle feel like a hard knot.”
“The runner collapsed mid-race, clutching his thigh where a sudden charley horse had seized the muscle.”
disputed origin
The term is perhaps rooted in 1880s American slang, potentially originating with the baseball pitcher Charlie "Old Hoss" Radbourn. Radbourn was noted for his tendency to suffer from muscle cramps during play, and it is suggested that his nickname and frequent physical discomfort provided the basis for the expression. Whether the association was a tribute to the man's endurance or a comment on his sudden immobility remains a matter of some uncertainty.
- 01
beat a dead horse
To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
- 02
change horses in midstream
To change one's plan or approach when an effort is already underway or at another inopportune time.
- 03
close the stable door after the horse has bolted
To attempt to prevent a problem that has already occurred; to design and implement a preventive mechanism that is too late (after the first failure instead of before).
- 04
dark horse
Someone who possesses talents or favorable characteristics that are not known or expected by others.
- 05
drive a coach and horses through
To spoil, break or render ineffective (a rule, plan or agreement).
- 06
enough to choke a horse
An excessive quantity.
- 07
flog a dead horse
To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more; to attempt to arouse fresh interest in something that is either hopeless or already settled.
- 08
get back on the horse
To return to an activity after a period of abstaining from the activity.
Last updated August 10, 2026