one-horse
Americanadjective
-
using or having only a single horse.
a one-horse carriage.
-
small and unimportant; limited.
a one-horse town.
adjective
-
drawn by or using one horse
-
informal (prenominal) small or obscure
a one-horse town
Etymology
Origin of one-horse
First recorded in 1740–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A one-horse French Open or will somebody stop Sinner?
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
The Dodgers couldn’t make this a one-horse race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2025
As a child in a "one-horse town in South Carolina," Smalls was drawn to Shakespeare and prose, spending time in his mother’s rose garden, despite the skepticism of those around him.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2025
City’s run of success bares comparison to the likes of Germany where Bayern Munich had turned the Bundesliga into a one-horse race until its 11-year winning streak was ended by Bayer Leverkusen this season.
From Seattle Times ● May 20, 2024
The problem with living in a one-horse town like Chokecherry is you can’t get away with anything.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
