A horse's age is commonly gauged by the state of its teeth. The proverb warns against questioning the quality or use of a lucky chance or gift. Cf. [a 420 St. Jerome Commentary on Epistle to Ephesians] Preface noli‥ut vulgare proverbium est, equi dentes inspicere donati, do not, as the common proverb says, look at the teeth of a gift horse.
A gyuen hors may not [be] loked in the tethe.
[a 1510 J. Stanbridge Vulgaria (EETS) 27]
Where gyfts be gyuen freely, est west north or south, No man ought to loke a geuen hors in the mouth.
[1546 J. Heywood Dialogue of Proverbs i. v. B2V]
No man ought to look a guift Horse in the mouth.
[1659 N. R. Proverbs 80]
Never look a Gift Horse in the Mouth.
[1710 S. Palmer Proverbs 40]
I told him it was a present from a dear friend, and one mustn't look a gift-horse in the mouth.
[1892 G. & W. Grossmith Diary of a Nobody xviii.]
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, let not the grass grow under thy feet, and never look a gift horse in the mouth.
[2002 Oldie Mar. 34]
Related to: giving and receiving; gratitude and ingratitude
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs. Copyright © 1982, 1992, 1998, 2003, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
