Search results
Songwriter (s) unknown. " If wishes were horses, beggars would ride " is a proverb and nursery rhyme, first recorded about 1628 in a collection of Scottish proverbs, [1] which suggests if wishing could make things happen, then even the most destitute people would have everything they wanted. [2] It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 20004.
If wishes were thrushes, then beggers would eat birds. Acquiring thrushes has now somewhat gone out of fashion as an aspiration of beggars. However, if eating thrushes is your thing, Camden is your man. It is clear that the ‘horses’ and ‘birds’ versions are essentially the same proverb. Other 17th century versions also exist, including ...
Feb 27, 2024 · Where Does "If Wishes Were Horses" Come From? The origin of the phrase "if wishes were horses" dates back to the 16th century. The earliest recorded use of the full proverb, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride," is found in a collection of English proverbs by James Carmichael in 1628.
Background: The oldest existing record of this expression is in Proverbs in Scots, collected and arranged by James Carmichaell: And wishes were horses pure (poor) men wald ryde. At this time, "and" could be used as a conditional, essentially meaning "provided that." The date of the collection is unclear but Carmichaell died in 1628 and it is ...
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. It's listed in a proverbs book from 1721: Complete Collection of Scottish Proverbs - Page 178 - James Kelly - 1721. 19. If Wishes were Horses, Beggars would ride. Interestingly, the other horseback idiom also appears in this book, along with a Latin phrase: 110. Set a Beggar on Horse-back and he'll ...
Oct 3, 2022 · If wishes were horses is the first part of a popular idiomatic expression, used to describe wishing for things as useful as Beating a Dead Horse. The entire idiom goes: “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride”. It also appears in a variation of nursery rhymes, revolving around the concepts of if- s and but -s.
People also ask
Where did If wishes were horses come from?
What does If wishes were horses mean?
What if wishes were horses beggars would ride?
Who wrote If wishes were horses?
If wishes were horses then beggars would ride, on clouds of white stallions with bright fiery eyes, chasing stars into corners of yesterday’s skies. If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Ride down through the gone days of play grounds of time, where life was a game and good fun was the prize.
