The English language is full of idioms — a combination of words with a figurative meaning that’s different from its literal meaning — and that includes such expressions that use “dog” or “dogs.” How many of these have you heard? Are we missing any? Let us know in the comments:
“Why keep a dog and bark yourself?”
Meaning: Why hire someone to do something, then do it yourself?
“That dog won’t hunt.”
Meaning: That won’t work, forget it.
“My dogs are barking.”
Meaning: My feet hurt.
“Three dog night.”
Meaning: Very cold; referring to the number of dog to cuddle up with to stay warm.
“Dog days of summer”
Meaning: The hottest weeks of summer, from early July to early August; this is also when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises and sets with the sun.
“Dog my cats!”
Meaning: Oh my!
“A dog’s breakfast/dinner.”
Meaning: A mixture of all kinds of things.
“I’ve got to go see a man about a dog.”
Meaning: I’m going to the restroom.
“Sad as a hound dog’s eye.”
Meaning: Very sad, indeed.
“Like a dog with two tails.”
Meaning: Very happy.
“It’s a dog-eat-dog world.”
Meaning: Take what you want and only look out for yourself because that’s what everyone else is doing.
“Gone to the dogs.”
Meaning: Something has lost all its good qualities and gone bad.
“Raining cats and dogs.”
Meaning: Very heavy rainfall.
