Good morning, afternoon, evening!
Today we’ll have to study new animal idioms.
As I’ve promised the subject is a dog, and phrases about it.
There are a lot of idioms about dogs, so I divided them into two parts.
Also note that I don’t want to hurt you or your lovely pet, that’s just set phrases in the English language that aren’t always kind towards dogs.
I’m giving you the list of the set expressions and their meanings:
- Let sleeping dogs lie = do not cause trouble if you shouldn’t to
- Every dog has his day = everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he is worth.
- My dogs are barking. = My feet hurt.
- Work like a dog = to work very hard
- One’s tail between one`s legs = feeling punished or humiliated
- A dog’s breakfast (dinner) = A blend of everything.
- A dog-eat-dog world. = In this world people only look out for themselves and forget about the others.
- To hound (someone) = to trail or chase someone, to harass someone
- The hair of the dog that bit one = a drop of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a drunkenness
- Rub (someone/someone’s fur) the wrong way = to irritate someone (just as you would provoke a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)
- The tail wagging the dog = a small part of something controls the everything
- Dog my cats! = Oh my!
- As crooked as a dog’s hind leg = Dishonest.
- That dog won’t hunt. = That won’t work.
- Call the dogs off (call off the dogs) = to stop intimidating or chasing or pursuing someone.
- Better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion = it is better to be the head of a small group than a follower of a bigger one.
- Top dog = the most valuable person in an organization.
- Like a dog with two tails. = Triumphal.
- Sad as a hound dog’s eye. = Somber.
- Go to the dogs = to decline, to become bad.
Try to find your pet in some examples. Do you recognize your or your friends’ behavior there?
