See a man about a dog

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To see a man, to see a man about a dog, or to see a man about a horse is an English language colloquialism, usually used as a smiling apology for one's departure or absence - generally as a bland euphemism to conceal one's true purpose.

Contents 1 Definition 2 Historical Usage 3 Appearances in popular culture 4 References 5 Citations 6 External links

[edit] Definition

The phrase has several meanings but all refer to taking one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom or going to buy a drink.^[1][2] The original non-facetious meaning was probably to place or settle a bet on a race, thus dogs or horses.^[3]

[edit] Historical Usage

During Prohibition in the United States, "to see a man about a dog" often meant to go meet one's bootlegger.[1]

The earliest confirmed publication is the 1866 Dion Boucicault play Flying Scud, in which a character knowingly breezes past a difficult situation saying, "Excuse me Mr. Quail, I can't stop; I've got to see a man about a dog." ^[4] During a 1939 revival on the NBC Radio program America's Lost Plays, TIME magazine observed that the phrase is the play's "claim to fame".^[5]

The phrase "see a dog about a man" is also sometimes used.

Examples

• Although they were all out, at the bases, and the rest of our nine having gone to see a man there was nobody to take the bat.^[6]
• I'm in a rush—gotta see a dog about a man!^[7]

[edit] Appearances in popular culture

• In the 2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode The Good, the Bad, and the Dominatrix, Brass and Catherine discuss an employee of a cowboy theme park possibly lying. The scene ends with Brass asking "Well, want to see a man about a horse?" Later, they try interviewing the employee.
• In the second series of The Inbetweeners Jay uses the expression to leave an uncomfortable conversation.
• The expression occurs, and is explained, in the What a Tangled Web episode of British 1970s comedy, Mind Your Language.
• In the 2003 Pixar movie Finding Nemo, an Australian dentist makes the comment, "I'm going to see a man about a wallaby," and later is seen exiting to the restroom.
• At the conclusion of Tom Waits' 1975 live album Nighthawks at the Diner, Waits excuses himself saying he must see a man about a dog.
• In the 2001 film, A Knight's Tale, Geoffrey Chaucer (Played by Paul Bettany) says, "I have to go see a man about a dog." as an excuse to fulfill his need to gamble.
• The phrase "Going to see a man about a dog" and, later, the phrase "Going to see a dog about a man" when discussing meeting a talking dog, appear in Terry Pratchett's novel The Truth, published in 2000.
• The phrase "Going to see a dog about a man" appears several times in Wilson Rawls' 1961 classic book Where the Red Fern Grows. The phrase "going to see a man about a dog" is also used.
• The phrase "See a man about a horse" appears in an episode of Veronica Mars, stated by the character Logan Echolls.
• In the Doctor Who serial The Ribos Operation, the Doctor tells K9, a robotic dog, that he is going to "see a man about a dog".
• In the 1947 film, Out of the Past, Whit Sterling (Played by Kirk Douglas) says, "I'm on my way to Mexico City, see a man about a horse."
• In the TV series Deadwood, Al Swearengen uses the variation "I have to see a man about a pig."
• In Californication (TV series) (Season 2, Episode 8) Hank Moody's ex-girlfriend references it by saying "I have to go see a man about a horse" to abruptly end the conversation between herself and Hank after he'd done the same thing to her half an episode earlier.
• The phrase also appears in the extended cut version of the 1996 movie That Thing You Do. The band's original manager "Phil Horace" (played by actor Chris Ellis) says it as he leaves The Wonders to their pre-matinee food that was just brought "Faye" (played by actress Liv Tyler).
• In the game the The Bard's Tale a man wandering through the first town says "I can't talk now; I have to see a man about a horse".
• In King of the Hill, Bobby tries to act like his grandfather by demanding chores to be done by peggy(mother), then states " I'll be back, i have to go see a man about a horse."
• In the movie Fear some people come to the house where Mark wahlberg's character lives, and say they are here to talk to a man about a dog, the occupant, then opens the door and says woof, woof, woof

[edit] References

• Ayto, John. Oxford Slang. 1998.
• Farmer, J.S. and W.E. Henley. Slang and its Analogues. 1986.
• Chapman, Robert L. Dictionary of American Slang. 1995.
• Matthews, Mitford M. A Dictionary of Americanisms. 1951.
• Spears, Richard A. Slang and Euphemism. 1981.
• Spears, Richard A. The Slang and Jargon of Drugs and Drink. 1986.
• Hurston, Zora Neale 'Their Eyes Were Watching God.' 1937.

[edit] Citations

[edit] External links

• "See a man about a dog" — Michael Quinion's World Wide Words