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The idiom “sick as a dog” describes someone who feels very ill. The comparison of unwanted things to dogs was prevalent in the early 1700s, when the expression “sick as a dog” started. This was the period in which the phrase was first used. This is not because people did not like dogs at the time.
- Hair of The Dog
A lot of sayings are actually clipped from a longer...
- Dog-ear Idiom Definition
Dog-ear is an idiom that is surprisingly old. We will...
- Dog-Eat-Dog
The term dog-eat-dog is an example of figurative speech and...
- Hair of The Dog
- Done Up Like a Dog's Dinner. Meaning: An idiom that describes a person seemingly overdressed. The clothing usually being too fussy or silly for the occasion.
- Be Like a Dog With a Bone. We all know what a dog is like when it has a bone, right? They are relentless. They never stop. Meaning: That a person is fixating on a topic.
- As Sick as a Dog. Have you ever seen a dog being sick? It's never a pretty sight! Meaning: An expression used to say that someone is very sick. It usually refers to someone who is being physically ill.
- Love Me, Love My Dog. We all love our dogs—no matter what mischief they create. We forgive them and often enjoy them all the more for it. Meaning: This idiom is a way of saying that you should love everything and accept everything about the person you love.
Hot dog. Meaning: Show-off. Example: He’s a real hot dog on the skateboard. Idioms for Top Dog Big dog. Meaning: Important person. Example: The big dogs in the company met to discuss the merger. Dog in the fight. Meaning: Stake in a situation. Example: I don’t have a dog in this fight, so I’ll stay neutral. Alpha dog. Meaning: Dominant ...
Apr 23, 2024 · This post explores different idioms that include the word dog or are related to dogs. These phrases are used in everyday English and are easy to understand, even for kids! Dog Idioms. Here are 20 dog idioms in English. 1. Dog-eat-dog. Meaning: Very competitive Example: The business world is dog-eat-dog. 2. Barking up the wrong tree. Meaning ...
- Barking Up The Wrong Tree
- Call Off The Dogs
- Can’T Teach An Old Dog New Tricks
- It’S A Dog and Pony Show
- It’S Raining Cats and Dogs
- The Underdog
- Dog-Eat-Dog
- Fight Like Cats and Dogs
- Puppy Love/Eyes
- Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You
This well-known idiom is used when someone’s accusing the wrong person or is being misguided into believing a false idea. If you’re told that you’re barking up the wrong tree, it might be wise to reconsider your actions or look at them from a different angle. This saying’s roots go back to the 19th century United States of America. To catch a night...
This next phrase is often heard in detective/action movies when the hero is telling the villain to leave them alone. It can be a police investigation, a hit piece by a journalist, or something else. Calling off the dogs is also commonly used as an urge to stop judging or acting aggressively toward someone. In hunting, when you call off the dogs, yo...
Learning something new isn’t always easy, especially if you’re getting a bit old. But the idiom is used in a slightly different manner. It describes a person who’s too stubborn, afraid, or lazy to try and do things differently. This phrase has been with us for almost 500 years! It’s mentioned in a 1534 book by Mr. John Fitzherbert called “The Book ...
Back in the day, outdoor shows were incredibly popular in the US. Circuses used to tour the entire country (especially the rural areas) and often included performances by horses and dogs. These shows were a bit over-the-top to grab the audience’s attention. Today, this idiom perfectly fits fancy ads. Marketing agencies use flashy videos, graphics, ...
Henry Vaughan, a British poet, set the foundation for this idiom in 16512. But it was Jonathan Swift who wrote “it’s raining cats and dogs” in his poem “A Description of a City Shower”. The poem saw the light of day in 1710, and in it, Swift criticized the artificial lives of people living in London. So, what does this expression mean, exactly? Som...
When a team or an athlete is expected to lose in a competition, they are the underdogs. We’re talking about boxing, tennis, football, and other sports. This word is also used to describe a person that overcomes a challenge despite all odds. In dogfighting, the term “underdog” was first introduced in the late 1880s when talking about a hound that lo...
The world is a harsh place, and you have to fight to earn your spot—that’s what this idiom represents. You’ll often hear people involved in finances, marketing, and commerce use it. Sometimes, dog-eat-dog has a more severe, violent meaning, like fellow humans being ready to cause each other pain to get to the top. This expression was first mentione...
We’ve all been there: arguing with someone we love or hate for hours and never coming to an agreement. That’s what this idiom stands for. In nature, dogs and cats do, indeed, fight all the time, although canines are usually much stronger and have the upper hand. But do you know where this phrase takes its roots from? In 1611, there was a play at th...
While this idiom might sound a bit childish, when you truly love a person, you will instantly see the appeal. You have puppy love when your emotions are pure. As for the puppy eyes, it’s when we make a cute face and ask for something. Pets and children implement this “killer technique” quite often; grown-ups do it, too, but on a smaller scale. Thes...
There are lots of people out there that turn on you instead of being thankful for your kindness. That’s why this phrase is so popular. And it doesn’t necessarily refer to dogs (because a well-trained pup will never hurt his owner) but rather to humans that see kindness as weakness and criticize/betray instead. It was Edmund Burke, an Anglo–Irish ph...
- Nicole Cosgrove
Aug 8, 2024 · The 17 Dog Idioms & Sayings. 1. Barking Up the Wrong Tree. This idiom means to approach a problem from an incorrect angle or to make wrong assumptions about something. Its origin is believed to have been derived from fox hunting when hounds would pursue the scent of an animal in the wrong direction and “bark” up the wrong tree. 2.
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Jan 7, 2023 · Idioms for Dogs. 1. Barking up the Wrong Tree. Meaning: To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action. In a Sentence: “I thought I could fix the leak by tightening the pipe, but I was barking up the wrong tree; it turned out to be a faulty valve.”. 2. In the Doghouse. Meaning: In trouble or disfavor.
