Meanings
The expression -- believed to be Scottish in origin -- derives from shanks' nag (shanks-naig 1774), referring to the use of shank to refer to the part of the human leg between the knee and ankle. One theory cites "shank's mare" derived from a horse-drawn lawn mower, manufactured by Shanks & Company Ltd. (founded 1853) which required that the human operator walk behind the device to guide the horse; however, references to the phrase in Scottish literature pre-date the existence of the Shanks lawn mower.
One's own legs used for walking; to "travel by shanks' mare" or "ride [on] shanks' mare" is to walk to your destination.
Example Sentences
1
I missed the bus, so I had to rely on shanks' mare to get to work.
2
The car broke down, so we had to use shanks' mare to get to the nearest gas station.
3
Since it was a short distance, we decided to save money and use shanks' mare instead of taking a taxi.
4
With no available transportation, she had to resort to shanks' mare to reach the destination.
5
We got lost in the woods, so we had to rely on shanks' mare to find our way back.
