Asked in: SSC Selection Post Ph-14 2026 (Graduate Level)
look a gift horse in the mouth in SSC previous-year questions
- SSC Selection Post Ph-14 2026 (Graduate Level) Idioms & Phrases
Identify the option in which the underlined idiom has been used incorrectly.
Answer & explanation
Answer: A) When her uncle offered to pay her full university tuition, Sofia **looked a gift horse in the mouth** by immediately thanking him and accepting the generous check.
Meaning: look a gift horse in the mouth = to find fault with, or be ungrateful for, a gift or a lucky chance *(उपहार में भी दोष निकालना, कृतघ्नता दिखाना)*.
Sofia immediately thanked him and accepted — gracious acceptance, the exact opposite of what the idiom means. So option 1 misuses it.
Correct use: *He complained the free laptop was too heavy — don't look a gift horse in the mouth.*
Origin.
A horse's age is judged by its teeth; checking the teeth of a horse given as a present suggests you doubt its value.
Why the others are fine.
#B throw one's weight around = to use one's authority in a bossy, overbearing way *(रौब जमाना, धौंस दिखाना)* — demanding a bigger office and policing staff fit
look a gift horse in the mouth – questions
Has look a gift horse in the mouth been asked in SSC exams?
Yes – look a gift horse in the mouth has been asked in SSC exams: SSC Selection Post Ph-14 2026 (Graduate Level).