one-horse

[ wuhn-hawrs, -hohrs ]

adjective

1. using or having only a single horse:

   a one-horse carriage.

2. small and unimportant; limited:

   a one-horse town.

one-horse

adjective

1. drawn by or using one horse
2. informal.
   prenominal small or obscure

   a one-horse town

Word History and Origins

Origin of one-horse¹

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

Sure, coincidences happen, but these guys make big cities look like one-horse villages.

From The Daily Beast

John Brown drove his one-horse farm-wagon, and the men straggled behind him.

From Project Gutenberg

Sixteen men at Hankow to carry baggage that one man and a one-horse dray would carry in New York.

From Project Gutenberg

At that time there were not half a dozen one-horse wagons in the whole town.

From Project Gutenberg

In our one-horse buggy, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter drove ahead of the party, and he crawled into the garrison.

From Project Gutenberg

As to salary—well, I don't know what you're getting in that one-horse bank, but I'll double it, whatever it is.

From Project Gutenberg