horse's mouth
Direct from origin
To hear something from the horse's mouth is to hear it directly from the original or most authoritative source.
The phrase likely comes from horse racing, where a tip about which horse will win would be most reliable if it came from the horse itself.
I got the news straight from the horse's mouth—she told me herself.
Without intermediary
- genuineTruly what it claims
- authoritativeHaving recognized expertise
- verifiedConfirmed as accurate
- confirmedEstablished as accurate
reliable · trustworthy · credible · unfiltered · unmediated · direct · accurate · factual
One who provides intelligence
- insiderOne with confidential access
- eyewitnessOne who saw events
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
- spokespersonAuthorized representative communicator
authority · expert · witness · originator · primary · confidant · contact · connection
firsthand
Without intermediary
- genuineTruly what it claims
- authoritativeHaving recognized expertise
- verifiedConfirmed as accurate
confirmed · reliable · trustworthy · credible · unfiltered · unmediated · direct · accurate · factual · substantiated
informant
One who provides intelligence
- insiderOne with confidential access
- eyewitnessOne who saw events
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
spokesperson · authority · expert · witness · originator · primary · confidant · contact · connection · tipster
unvarnished
Without embellishment or coating
blunt · frank · undiluted · unedited · uncensored · plain · honest · direct · unembellished · straightforward
horse's mouthsecondhand
Having had prior ownership
hearsay · grapevine · rumor · thirdhand · through the grapevine
horse's mouthrumor mill
Informal gossip network
gossip · scuttlebutt · speculation · conjecture · idle talk
horse, horses, horsed, horsing, horseman, horsemanship, horseback, mouth, mouths