dog Hear it!

dog definition

dog (dôg, däg)

noun pl. dogs or dog

    1. any of a large and varied group of domesticated canines (Canis familiaris) often kept as a house pet or used for hunting, guarding people or property, etc.
    2. any of various wild canines
  2. the male of a canine
  3. a mean, contemptible fellow
  4. a prairie dog, dogfish, or other animal thought to resemble a dog

  5. Etymology: < its orig. shape: cf. Fr chenet

    an andiron; firedog
  6. Informal a boy or man lucky dog
  7. ☆ Slang feet
  8. hot dog (sense )
  9. Slang
    1. an unattractive or unpopular person
    2. ☆ an unsatisfactory thing or unsuccessful venture
  10. Mech. any of several devices for holding or grappling
  11. Meteorol.
    1. a parhelion; sundog
    2. a fogdog

Etymology: ME, generalized in sense < late, rare OE docga, dogga (usual hund: see hound) < ?

adjective

designating a family (Canidae) of meat-eating animals that includes dogs, foxes, wolves, coyotes, and jackals

transitive verb dogged, dogging dog′·ging

  1. to follow, hunt, or track down doggedly
  2. ☆ to hold or secure with a mechanical dog

adverb

very; completely: used in combination dog-tired
dog Idioms

a dog's age

Informal a long time

a dog's life

a wretched existence

dog in the manger

a person who keeps others from using something which that person is not using

dog it

Slang to fail to exert the maximum or expected effort

every dog has his day

something good or lucky happens to everyone at one time or another

go to the dogs

Informal to deteriorate; degenerate

let sleeping dogs lie

to let well enough alone; not disturb things as they are for fear of something worse

put on the dog

☆
Slang to make a show of being very elegant, wealthy, etc.

teach an old dog new tricks

to induce a person of settled habits to adopt new methods or ideas

the Greater Dog

the constellation Canis Major
also called the Big Dog

the Lesser Dog

the constellation Canis Minor
also called the Little Dog

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business dog definition - business

idioms dog idiom

dog Synonyms

dog

n.

  1. A domestic animal

    hound, puppy, canine, mongrel, cur, canis familiaris (Latin), bitch, pup, whelp, stray, watchdog, lap dog, guide dog, Seeing Eye dog, pye-dog, pooch*, mutt*, bowwow*, Fido*, fleabag*. *

    Types and breeds of dogs include: hunting, field, racing, courser, boxer, water, shepherd, bloodhound, wolfhound, greyhound, whippet, St. Bernard, mastiff, Newfoundland, Great Dane, borzoi, Rottweiler, German shepherd, Doberman pinscher, Afghan, Irish wolfhound, Labrador retriever, Golden retriever, Chesapeake Bay retriever, malamute, husky, Samoyed, Akita, collie, Briard, Old English sheep dog, Gordon setter, English setter, Irish setter, pointer, springer, spaniel, cocker spaniel, water spaniel, Brittany spaniel, foxhound, basset hound, beagle, dachshund, Dalmatian, English bulldog, pit bull, spitz, chow, Pomeranian, poodle, toy poodle, standard poodle, barbet, French poodle, Pekingese, Maltese, Chihuahua, Mexican hairless, Airedale, schnauzer, Sealyham, fox terrier, wirehaired terrier, Scottie, Kerry blue, black and tan, Bedlington terrier, Aberdeen, Irish terrier, Jack Russell terrier, Yorkshire terrier, West Highland terrier, Cairn terrier, bull terrier, Boston terrier, Manchester terrier, Welsh corgi, Cardigan, Pembroke.

  2. Insulting term

    scamp, swine, blackguard; see rascal.

a dog's life<strong>*

wretched existence, hard life, bad luck, trouble; see difficulty 1, poverty 1.

every dog has his day<strong>*

have a chance, recover, do well; see prosper, succeed 1.

go to the dogs<strong>*

deteriorate, degenerate, decline; see decay.

let sleeping dogs lie<strong>*

ignore, leave well enough alone, pass over; see neglect 1.

put on the dog<strong>*

show off, entertain lavishly, put on airs; see display 1, dress up, pretend 1.

teach an old dog new tricks<strong>*

influence, convince, change; see change 1, persuade 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

dog Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • bark: The Bowkers had gone only yards off the public road when they encountered a barking dog, then a barking landowner.

Adjective modifier

  • pet: A pet dog should also be washed several times.

Modifies a noun

  • warden: Please note there is a £ 55.00 dog warden service charge to reclaim your dog from the holding kennels.

Possessives

  • mercury: The rich soils support a diverse flora dominated by dog's mercury and ramsons.

Preposition: in

  • kennel: I ask him if he knows every dog in the kennel by name.
dog usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

dog quotes

It is just as full of propaganda as a dog is full of fleas. In fact, I say it's all fleas and no dog.

-Acheson, Dean Gooderham

Cave canem! Beware of the dog!

-Anonymous

If you are not the lead dog, the view never changes.

-Anonymous

dog quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"dog." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/dog>

APA Style

dog. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/dog

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment