🐎 Put Through One’s Paces 🏇
To be thoroughly tested. The allusion here is to a horse being tried out by a possible buyer. Used literally in the mid-eighteenth century, it was transferred to human beings a century later. B. Taylor had it in ‘Faust’ (1871): “I see she means to put him through his paces.” See also ‘through the mill’.
Synonyms:
- Tested thoroughly
- Examined rigorously
- Assessed completely
- Under scrutiny
- Proven under pressure
Antonyms:
- Spared
- Untested
- Overlooked
- Unchallenged
Fun-Filled Quotes:
🗣️ “Life puts us through our paces in a way only wild horses can understand.” - Anonymous
🌿 “I put my plants through their paces too - and they flourish or feeble under my green thumb’s scrutiny.” - The Garden Wit
Related Expressions:
- Through the mill - To be exposed to hard experiences; to undergo suffering or strict discipline.
- Trial by fire - A test of one’s abilities by undergoing a rigorous challenge.
- Baptism by fire - Being thrown into a demanding situation for the first time.
- Under the microscope - Scrutinizing something rigorously.
Proverbs:
📜 “The proving of mariners is in foul weather.” – Anonymous 📜 “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” – African Proverb
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
📚 “Faust” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – give this classic a read and find how testing one’s spirit forms central to the plot! 🎬 “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006) – Will Smith gave spirit and grit a beautiful expression as the protagonist is put through life’s harsh tests. 📖 “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee – A classic depiction of moral tests and societal scrutiny. 🎵 “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor – An anthem for those who go through life’s paces with resilience and determination. 📜 “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley – An empowering poem of enduring trials and emerging strong. 🎬 “Rocky” (1976) – Rocky Balboa endures physical and emotional testing, fighting his way through the metaphorical and literal rings of life.
