If someone’s getting long in the tooth, it means they’re getting old, or too old for their behavior. The metaphor of long teeth comes from horses. If you look at a horse’s teeth and the extent to which their gums have receded, you can tell pretty accurately how old they are. It’s the same source as that old advice, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” which means “if someone gives you a gift, don’t inspect it too closely.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Long In The Tooth”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, Grant. My name is Ellen, and I’m calling from Phoenix, Arizona.
Hello, Ellen. Welcome to the program.
How are you? I was excited when we were vacationing in Carlsbad last summer to discover the show, and I’m even more delighted to be on.
Oh, yay! So what can we help you with today?
Well, actually, while I was vacationing in Carlsbad, I was joined by an unnamed relative of mine who used an expression to describe his adult children that made me very curious. And that expression was, my children have become very long in the tooth.
And you wondered, are they vampires?
Well, it kind of reminds me of something evolutionary and rubs me kind of strangely.
What was the context of that conversation?
I can’t imagine a parent describing their children like this. Were they all unmarried? They all have been married decades ago or something?
No, no. They’re late 20s, and, you know, I think he was just talking about when exactly they were going to settle down.
Okay. Very good.
So he was saying that they were long in the tooth. He was indicating that they were getting old?
Yeah. Older? And that they better get on with certain things.
So they were a little old for their behavior?
No. They were a little old for not having maybe put down roots. They’re not popping out grandbabies yet. That sort of thing.
I think that’s it, right? The grandbabies?
Right. You know what? That’s the bottom line. You’re right. I was trying to be euphemistic, but you’re right.
I know. He doesn’t even have a name, this relative.
Right, right. So long in the tooth, what did he mean? Dinosaurs? Are they coming into this somewhere, Martha?
No. Or Neanderthals, maybe. I don’t know.
Are you not fond of these kids?
No, I love them dearly. I love them dearly. He had had a little bit too much to drink.
I see. But he said it repeatedly.
Oh, he said it. Okay. All right.
So it means old, more or less.
Right. Or too old probably is a better way to describe it. Old, yeah. Yeah, old.
But Ellen, you can go back to him with the origin, which is really clear.
-huh. It has to do with the fact that supposedly when you look at a horse’s teeth, you can tell how old they are. The teeth go through all kinds of different changes through life, and the gums tend to recede as they get older.
And so if you’re saying somebody is long in the tooth, the metaphor here is a horse. Looking at a horse, that’s also why we have the expression, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. It’s like don’t inspect the gift that you’ve been given too carefully.
I see. Very interesting. And do horse teeth keep growing? Am I remembering correctly?
They go through all these different stages, and there are things with grooves. And they require filing at some point or something?
I don’t know about that. I’m just remembering what I read in the James Herriot novels.
Oh, okay. Well, yeah, but in any case, I don’t know that the gums recede that much, but that’s the story that’s circulated around.
So a horse that’s long in the tooth is old, therefore a person that’s long in the tooth is old also.
Yes. Interesting.
Well, thank you so much.
Thanks, Ellen. We really appreciate it.
I appreciate it. Always nice to hear from a Phoenician.
Thank you. Bye-bye.
Bye-bye. Take care.
Bye-bye. I think this guy’s just impatient, or he had too much to drink. Needs grandbabies.
You can call us, 877-929-9673, or email words@waywordradio.org.
