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Mutton dressed as lamb

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DrSuze | 12:33 Mon 28th Apr 2003 | Phrases & Sayings
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Where does the phrase 'Mutton dressed as Lamb' originate?
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in this context, dressed means jointed like,cooked like or served like. Lamb is a very tender meat with a delicate flavour, whereas mutton has a stronger flavour and is tougher so it needs different seasonings and cooking techniques. Lamb also used to be a seasonal delicacy and commanded a higher price, so if you could get away with dresing your mutton as lamb, you could sell it for more money.
Woofgang's answer is, of course, correct on a purely factual basis. However, the phrase is far more often used to suggest an older woman dressed up, wearing make-up etc to make herself look like a younger one. It was first used in print in this sense by Kipling in the 1890s, referring to a young man making a fool of himself over a woman old enough to be his mother.

(In the literal sense, I can't remember when I last saw mutton for sale, even! It all seems to be 'lamb' nowadays.)

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Thank you Quizmonster - Kipling? Which novel though - I need it for a reference. Cheers Dr Suze x
I hope Quizmonster doesn't mind the intrusion, but I've just found the Kipling link. It looks like it's a short story rather than a novel, and is called "The Brushwood Boy". I only found it by highlighting the 'Google' option, as it's quite a long piece.

Click here

Hey, Cetti! You're even using the 'Click here' facility now; there's just no stopping you, is there? Well done...and that is the correct reference, of course, Dr S.
Question Author
Thank you both - will credit you when it's published! S x
Hello Quizmonster - I't's very tempting but I'm afraid I can't take the credit for the 'Click Here' - the link I used was just soooo enormous the whole site was distorted, so I had to call on the help of Mike to sort it out. LOL !!!!
Oh dear, C! Never mind, eh? You tried and that's the main thing. Good luck with the material for publication, S. Cheers, both.

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