Idiomer
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English · Idiom Historical

gray mare

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A wife who "wears the breeches." From an old story in which the point is to show that the "GRAY MARE," the wife’s choice, "is the better horse," and by parity of reasoning that the wife is superior to the husband.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Horses Colors Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “gray mare” mean?

A wife who "wears the breeches." From an old story in which the point is to show that the "GRAY MARE," the wife’s choice, "is the better horse," and by parity of reasoning that the wife is superior to the husband.

Is “gray mare” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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