What does "shoeing-horn" mean?
A shoehorn.
Shoeing-horn
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A shoehorn.
- Grammar: shoeing-horn is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: shoehorn.
- Usage evidence: ...some of "the general rules and inventions for drinking, as good as printed precepts or statutes by act of parliament, that go from drunkard to drunkard; as... to have some shoeing-horn to pull on your wine, as a rasher on the coals or a red herring..." Shoeing-horns, sometimes called gloves, are also described by Bishop Hall in his "Mundus alter et idem." "Then sir, comes me up a service of shoeing-horns of all sorts; salt cakes, red herrings, anchovies, and gammon of bacon, and abundance of such pullers on." ... And yet a drawer-on too; i.e.an incitement to appetite: the phrase is yet in use. This drawer-on was also technically termed a puller-on, and a shoeing-horn in drink.
How to use "shoeing-horn"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "shoeing-horn" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "shoeing-horn" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "shoeing-horn" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "shoeing-horn" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "shoeing-horn" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "shoehorn" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "shoeing-horn", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A shoehorn. dated
- 2 Anything that facilitates a transaction; that which smooths the way or greases the wheels. obsolete
- 3 Anything that induces or "draws on" thirst. UK, obsolete
"...some of "the general rules and inventions for drinking, as good as printed precepts or statutes by act of parliament, that go from drunkard to drunkard; as... to have some shoeing-horn to pull on your wine, as a rasher on the coals or a red herring..." Shoeing-horns, sometimes called gloves, are also described by Bishop Hall in his "Mundus alter et idem." "Then sir, comes me up a service of shoeing-horns of all sorts; salt cakes, red herrings, anchovies, and gammon of bacon, and abundance of such pullers on." ... And yet a drawer-on too; i.e.an incitement to appetite: the phrase is yet in use. This drawer-on was also technically termed a puller-on, and a shoeing-horn in drink."
- 4 A young man encouraged by a woman as a hanger-on to encourage the advances of more desirable suitors. obsolete
"Now you cannot but observe, that most of our fine young Ladies readily fall in with the Direction of the Graver sort, to retain in their Service, by some small Encouragement, as great a Number as they can of supernumerary and insignificant Fellows, which they use like whifflers, and commonly call Shoeing-Horns. These are never designed to know the length of the Foot, but only when a good Offer comes to whet and spur him up to the Point. Nay 'tis the Opinion of that grave Lady, Madam Matchwell, that it's absolutely convenient for every prudent Family to have several of these Implements about the House, to clap on as occasion serves, and that every Spark ought to produce a Certificate of his being a Shoeing-Horn, before he be admitted as a Shoe. A certain Lady, whom I could name, if it was necessary, has at present more Shoeing-Horns of all Sizes, Countries, and Colours, in her Service, than ever she had new Shoes in her Life."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"...some of "the general rules and inventions for drinking, as good as printed precepts or statutes by act of parliament, that go from drunkard to drunkard; as... to have some shoeing-horn to pull on your wine, as a rasher on the coals or a red herring..." Shoeing-horns, sometimes called gloves, are also described by Bishop Hall in his "Mundus alter et idem." "Then sir, comes me up a service of shoeing-horns of all sorts; salt cakes, red herrings, anchovies, and gammon of bacon, and abundance of such pullers on." ... And yet a drawer-on too; i.e.an incitement to appetite: the phrase is yet in use. This drawer-on was also technically termed a puller-on, and a shoeing-horn in drink."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "shoeing-horn"?
Common synonyms include: shoehorn.
How do you use "shoeing-horn" in a sentence?
...some of "the general rules and inventions for drinking, as good as printed precepts or statutes by act of parliament, that go from drunkard to drunkard; as... to have some shoeing-horn to pull on your wine, as a rasher on the coals or a red herring..." Shoeing-horns, sometimes called gloves, are also described by Bishop Hall in his "Mundus alter et idem." "Then sir, comes me up a service of shoeing-horns of all sorts; salt cakes, red herrings, anchovies, and gammon of bacon, and abundance of such pullers on." ... And yet a drawer-on too; i.e.an incitement to appetite: the phrase is yet in use. This drawer-on was also technically termed a puller-on, and a shoeing-horn in drink.