I'm So Hungry I Could Eat a Horse – Meaning, Origin and Usage

Have you seen the phrase 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse' somewhere and want to know more about the context and possible origin of the saying? The saying is used as a figurative saying to mean that someone is extremely hungry or famished. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of the saying.

Meaning

'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse' is a common figurative saying in the English language that is used to mean that someone is very hungry.

The phrase is often used to indicate the superlative form of hunger, and it is used as a more creative way to say that someone is very hungry.

An alternative word sometimes used in place of the phrase would be to say that someone is 'feeling famished', though does not literally mean that someone is nutritionally starving when used in common conversation.

The phrase 'so hungry that you could eat a horse' is more common in English, and might not carry the same meaning when it is directly translated into another language.

Sometimes the phrase is used with sarcastic or humorous implications, and the phrase is never literal.

The phrase is less common in countries where horse is consumed as a common food type, though might also be said.

Example Usage

“I was so hungry I could eat a horse, and I just wasn't happy when the guy brought another pizza with pineapple to our table. I mean, what the hell was he thinking?”

“I don't just get hungry like other people, I get hangry. If the Hulk loved food more, I think we would have been very similar people. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.”

“What have you got on the menu, son? I traded my lunch for a pack of cigarettes and now I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.”

“I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. Let me know what you're going to get, and I'll have what she's having.”

Origin

According to most popular language resources, the phrase 'so hungry that I could eat a horse' might have originated somewhere between the late-1700s and 1800s.

The exact first use of the phrase is difficult to track down, though early use is not as difficult to fine -a nd first started to show up in popular news resources and other writing through the 1800s.

Modern use of the phrase would continue, with the saying a common expression, joke, and pop culture

The website Urban Dictionary first records the phrase from the year 2021, even though much earlier use of it is apparent from other sources.

Phrases Similar to I'm So Hungry I Could Eat a Horse

  • I'm so hungry I could eat a human
  • I'm so hungry I could eat a cow

Phrases Opposite to I'm So Hungry I Could Eat a Horse

  • I'm so full you could roll me out of here

What is the Correct Saying?

  • I'm so hungry I could eat a horse

Ways People May Say I'm So Hungry I Could Eat a Horse Incorrectly

There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the saying.

When someone says that they are so hungry they could eat a horse, the phrase can be easily misunderstood by someone who does not know prior use.

The saying can also be difficult to translate into languages without a direct equivalent.

Acceptable Ways to Phrase I'm So Hungry I Could Eat a Horse

The acceptable way to use the phrase 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse' is to use the term as a figurative response or saying, usually one that implies the speaker is very hungry.

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