Shank's mare is a noun phrase meaning one's own legs. It refers to the method of travel by foot, especially when other means are unavailable, and comes from the word 'shank' (lower leg).
Shank's mare es una frase nominal que significa las propias piernas. Se refiere al método de transporte a pie, especialmente cuando no hay otros medios disponibles, y proviene de la palabra "shank" (la parte inferior de la pierna).
| Word | shank's mare |
|---|---|
| Date | January 16, 2008 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | SHANKS-MAIR |
| Etymology | "A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!" Many travelers in centuries past would have agreed with King Richard's famous lines from Shakespeare's Richard III -- when you needed to travel any distance in the days before automobiles, you definitely wanted a horse. When one wasn't available, you had to rely on your built-in transportation equipment, your feet and legs. The word "shank" has been used to mean "the lower leg" since before the 12th century, and "shank's mare" first appeared in writing in the late 1700s. Another vivid expression connecting people and horses was "horse with ten toes," but that one is now relegated to history. |
| Examples | We were determined to see the ruins, and when we found out the shuttle bus wasn't running that day, we traveled by shank's mare. |
| Definition | : one's own legs |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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