Buying land by mail is buying a pig in a poke: sometimes the land turns out to be under water.
Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". Оригинал: A.Маккей, М.Т.Боткер, Дж.И.Гейтс. 1997.
Pig in a poke — is an idiom that refers to a confidence trick originating in the Late Middle Ages, when meat was scarce but apparently rats and cats were not.The scheme entailed the sale of a suckling pig in a poke (bag). The wriggling bag actually contained a… … Wikipedia
pig in a poke — If someone buys a pig in a poke, they buy something without checking the condition it was in, usually finding out later that it was defective … The small dictionary of idiomes
pig in a poke — pig′ in a poke′ n. something purchased, accepted, or acquired without a preliminary examination • Etymology: 1520–30 … From formal English to slang
pig in a poke — something offered in such a way that the one to whom it is offered does not know exactly what the thing is nor what its real value is was too shrewd ever to buy a pig in a poke * * * something not adequately appraised or of undetermined value, as … Useful english dictionary
pig in a poke — {n. phr.} An unseen bargain; something accepted or bought without looking at it carefully. * /Buying land by mail is buying a pig in a poke: sometimes the land turns out to be under water./ … Dictionary of American idioms
pig in a poke — {n. phr.} An unseen bargain; something accepted or bought without looking at it carefully. * /Buying land by mail is buying a pig in a poke: sometimes the land turns out to be under water./ … Dictionary of American idioms
pig in a poke — Date: 1562 something offered in such a way as to obscure its real nature or worth < unwilling to buy a pig in a poke > … New Collegiate Dictionary
pig in a poke — If someone buys a pig in a poke, they buy something without checking the condition it was in, usually finding out later that it was defective. (Dorking School Dictionary) … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
pig in a poke — See a pig in a poke … English idioms
pig in a poke — something accepted or bought without looking at it carefully The stereo system he bought was a pig in a poke. He has no idea if it will work well … Idioms and examples
