see a man about a horse
Used in place of a real explanation when excusing oneself for a short period of time, particularly to use a toilet.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I will be back soon; I need to see a man about a horse.”
“Wait here for a minute because I need to see a man about a horse.”
“Excuse me for a moment while I see a man about a horse, but I will return shortly.”
“During the long meeting, the manager stood up and told the team he had to see a man about a horse before the next presentation started.”
“If you are looking for my brother, he just went to see a man about a horse and should be back in the living room soon.”
“He offered a vague smile and muttered that he had to see a man about a horse, leaving the guests to wonder where he had vanished.”
The expression is a nineteenth-century variant of the earlier phrase to see a man about a dog. It is derived from the social convenience of using a wager on a horse race as a pretext for departing a conversation or a location without further explanation. The horse, in this instance, serves as a polite substitution for the actual, and perhaps less presentable, destination.
- 01
be a man
To put up with something or take responsibility for it; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.
- 02
be one's own man
To behave independently without the influence of others.
- 03
be the bigger man
To walk away from a conflict to prevent it from escalating.
- 04
beat a dead horse
To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
- 05
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
- 06
broken man
A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unpleasant or traumatic event.
- 07
change horses in midstream
To change one's plan or approach when an effort is already underway or at another inopportune time.
- 08
charley horse
A muscle cramp, usually a strong one, in the thigh, leg, arm, or core.
Last updated August 10, 2026