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A run for your money

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on April 26, 2010 at 22:02

In Reply to: A run for your money posted by Chris on April 26, 2010 at 08:53:

: What about "give them a run for their money" I'm guessing its from horse racing. Any thoughts?

My guess would be hunting. (That's "hunting" in the British sense of chasing animals with hounds, not shooting them with guns.) A "run" in hunting is a continuous spell of riding after hounds, and it's really what people go hunting for. Hunting is an expensive business - you need a good horse, the right clothes, etc. etc. Historically, in some parts of the country that weren't well stocked with animals to hunt you might even have to buy your quarry - a "bagged" fox or a "carted" stag. However, dedicated hunt followers reckoned that all this cost was worth it if you got "a good run for your money". (VSD)

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