horse and buggy
An American term that literally refers to a horse-drawn carriage, but is far more commonly used as a figurative adjective meaning old-fashioned, outdated, or hopelessly behind the times.
Definitions
An American term that literally refers to a horse-drawn carriage, but is far more commonly used as a figurative adjective meaning old-fashioned, outdated, or hopelessly behind the times. Calling something 'horse-and-buggy' is a colourful way of saying it belongs to a previous era — whether you're talking about a company's technology, someone's attitudes, or a bureaucratic process that hasn't been updated in decades. The phrase conjures the image of pre-automobile America and contrasts it with the modern world.
Their invoicing system is completely horse-and-buggy — everything is still done on paper and faxed over.
Comments
(American) A horse and carriage.
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Semantically related
- horse and carriage71%
(British, American) A light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two horses.
- chug-wagon66%
(archaic, slang) An early motorized vehicle for driving on land (such as an automobile, truck, or tractor), especially a car; horseless carriage.
- horsebox64%
(UK, rail, obsolete) A van-type railway vehicle specially built for the carriage of horses.
- coach horse63%
A horse that draws a coach.