Horse of a different color and horse of another color

Horse of a different color and horse of another color are two forms of an idiom that dates back to Shakespeare. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. We will examine the meaning of the phrases horse of a different color and horse of another color, where they came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Horse of a different color and horse of another color are phrases used to refer to something that is entirely different. It is a comparison between two items, ideas or situations that finds them to be not alike. The terms horse of a different color and horse of another color are derived from the William Shakespeare play Twelfth Night, written around 1602: “My purpose is, indeed, a horse of that colour.” Primarily, the phrase horse of a different color is the American rendering of the sentiment, while horse of another color is the British rendering.

Examples

In lieu of the annual gala this year, the Preston Memorial Foundation decided on a “horse of a different color” by hosting their first such event as its local fundraiser. (The Preston County News & Journal)

KSAT-TV anchorwoman Ursula Pari is turning Mother’s Day into a horse of a different color. (The San Antonio Express-News)

Zhao’s contemporary film, set on the Pine Ridge reservation in the Badlands of South Dakota, is a horse of a different color. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

“Everybody saw Vince as a knight in shining armor, [but] behind closed doors that’s a horse of another color.” (Essence Magazine)

Fresh lima beans are truly a horse of another color. (The Vineyard Gazette)