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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Dark Horse #178590 08/09/2008 7:50 AM Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 1 Cath Collins stranger Cath Collins stranger Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 1 I was alway taught that it did refer to an outsider coming first - but more specifically to the practice of applying dye to the lighter hair on a horse in order to disguise its distinguishing features -which would have immediately identified it as a potential winner. As the dye wore off during or after the race, the true identity of a winner was revealed. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Dark Horse Cath Collins #178595 08/09/2008 11:26 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I would suspect that this is a phrase using 'dark' in the older sense of 'unknown', cf. Africa, the dark continent or the dark side of the moon. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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