gift horse
An apparent gift, that has substantial associated costs or drawbacks, especially a gift that does not fit perfectly with the recipient's wants or needs.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“It's a gift horse, so I won't complain about the color.”
“You should check the quality before accepting this gift horse.”
“The free car was a gift horse — it needed repairs that cost more than buying one.”
“The free software was a gift horse because I had to spend three days learning how to use the complicated interface.”
“The inheritance seemed like a blessing until the taxes came due, proving it was something of a gift horse.”
disputed origin
Derived from the economics of livestock management, the term acknowledges the inconvenience of an animal whose maintenance costs exceed its utility. The figure likely stems from the proverb regarding the inspection of a horse's mouth, an act performed to assess age and health by the state of the teeth. If the animal is a gift, such scrutiny is considered socially tactless, as the recipient remains liable for the costs of feeding and stabling an aging beast of declining value regardless of its quality.
- 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
charley horse
A muscle cramp, usually a strong one, in the thigh, leg, arm, or core.
- 04
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).
- 05
dark horse
Someone who possesses talents or favorable characteristics that are not known or expected by others.
- 06
drive a coach and horses through
To spoil, break or render ineffective (a rule, plan or agreement).
- 07
enough to choke a horse
An excessive quantity.
- 08
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.
Last updated August 10, 2026