Meaning of Idiom “I Could Eat a Horse”
I could eat a horse means “I am extremely hungry.” 1Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.
Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Usage
The idiom is usually used to refer to oneself but can be used to refer to others, especially if they have an unusually large appetite.
Sentence Examples
“Do you want to go out for dinner?” said Colleen. “Yes,” said Martin, “I’m starving. I could eat a horse.”
“When is dinner going to be ready? I could eat a horse!”
“I’ve never seen anyone eat like Jack. That guy could eat a horse.”
Origin
In use since the 1800’s, it is difficult to know the precise allusion. The expression could refer to the size of the animal, or the unusual nature of such a repast. However, eating the flesh of horses is not all that uncommon, and this expression is not unique to English.
The idiom may have derived from an earlier expression, sometimes listed as a proverb: Eat a horse behind the saddle. Although I can only speculate, the allusion seems to be to being so hungry that you would eat something that was of particular value to you, such as a riding horse. See further discussion here.
More Idioms Starting with E
- Every Little Thing
- Even a Broken Clock Is Right Twice a Day
- Every Name in the Book, been called
- Egg On
- Egg On Your Face, to have
More Animal Idioms
- Copycat
- Scaredy-Cat
- Play Cat and Mouse
- Look What the Cat Dragged In
- Down the Rabbit Hole
- Beat a Dead Horse
More Could Idioms
More Eat/Eating Idioms
More Food Idioms Idioms
- I Could Murder (A Food/Drink)
- Go Pear-shaped
- Chopped Liver
- Low-Hanging Fruit
- Know Which Side Your Bread is Buttered On
- Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel
More Horse Idioms
- Beat a Dead Horse
- I’m Going to See a Man About a Horse (Dog, Duck) Meaning
- If Wishes Were Horses
- A Shoo-in
- Rarin’ To Go
More Hunger Idioms
This page contains one or more affiliate links. See full affiliate disclosure.