A Man about a Horse

[Sallie Lemons]

Horse and dog are interchangeable in my experience, but...I thought it meant
having to go to the rest room. Did I ever get this one wrong!

"Peter A. McGraw" wrote:

> I always heard "see a man about a dog," but never really understood what it
> meant.
>
> Peter Mc.
>
> --On Thu, Feb 22, 2001 3:14 PM -0800 Hanna Miller <hmiller at AZSTARNET.COM>
> wrote:
>
> > Dear American Dialect Society members,
> >
> > Is anyone familiar with the expression "I have to see a man about a
> > horse," meaning "I have to shop for a gift, but I can't tell you that
> > because the gift is for you"? It was common in my family, but I haven't
> > found a single non-relative who understands it. Thanks so much.
> >
> > Hanna Miller
> > Tucson, AZ
> > hmiller at azstarnet.com
>
> ****************************************************************************
>                                Peter A. McGraw
>                    Linfield College   *   McMinnville, OR
>                             pmcgraw at linfield.edu