A Man about a Horse

[A. Maberry]

Sallie,

You're not alone. That's how I've always understood it.

allen
maberry at u.washington.edu

On Thu, 22 Feb 2001, Sallie Lemons wrote:

> 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
>