APAD: A horse of a different color

"A horse of a different color" is an idiom meaning a matter, situation, or issue is entirely different, unrelated, or a completely new, separate subject from the one previously discussed. It signifies a shift in context or perspective, often highlighting a contradiction or a significant change in circumstances, such as "that's a different story".

In contrast, "My purpose is, indeed, a horse of that colour" is a line from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, meaning "That is exactly the plan" or "That aligns with my intention". It signifies agreement with a previous statement or a shared understanding of a plot, likely foreshadowing the idiom "a horse of a different colour".

- From online with editing
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Thinking of the coming year of the horse, I started looking for horse related idioms, and am happy to see many. 得意
 
Actually Shakespeare was also fond of horses! The Bard of Avon frequently featured horses as symbols of power, speed, and status, most famously in Richard III with the desperate cry, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!", which was an APAD we discussed about two years ago (see: APAD: My kingdom for a horse!  2024-04-07).

But, today's APAD is a horse of a different colour from "My kingdom for a horse"! 鬼臉

 

所有跟帖: 

borderline racist; all horses are foaled equal :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 08:51:17

Protest! :-) The world is an interesting place because -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 08:57:46

Mother Nature created creatures with different colours! ~~ -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 08:59:31

It makes less sense to me than apple&orange -移花接木- 給 移花接木 發送悄悄話 移花接木 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 09:25:23

Agreed. might be better comparing a horse w/ a donkey ;-)) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 09:36:11

But, w/ good vision, some may find comparing colour more -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 09:40:26

challenging ~~ + an idiom is an idiom, the more the better! -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 09:42:53

Reminding me of a black horse:)) -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 16:29:51

Hahaha, you cornered me here, 暖冬!;-)) Yes, it’s another -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 16:44:32

horse of a different colour. Thx 4 pointing it out ~~ -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 16:45:42

不是不是,just relay to the other APAD the other day.Sorry,瞎聯想而已。 -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/10/2026 postreply 23:09:15

I know. No worries, all are good!! Thx. -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/11/2026 postreply 07:22:45

Another proverb with horse -春回人間- 給 春回人間 發送悄悄話 春回人間 的博客首頁 (77 bytes) () 03/10/2026 postreply 07:47:31

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