# see a man about a horse

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/see-a-man-about-a-horse
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used in place of a real explanation when excusing oneself for a short period of time, particularly to use a toilet.

## Examples

- 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.

## Origin

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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.