- dog
- dog [dôg, däg]n.pl. dogs or dog [ME, generalized in sense < late, rare OE docga, dogga (usual hund: see HOUND1) < ?]1.a) 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.b) any of various wild canines2. the male of a canine3. a mean, contemptible fellow4. a prairie dog, dogfish, or other animal thought to resemble a dog5. [< its orig. shape: cf. Fr chenet] an andiron; firedog6. Informal a boy or man [lucky dog ]☆ 7. [pl.] Slang feet8. HOT DOG (sense 1)9. Slanga) an unattractive or unpopular person☆ b) an unsatisfactory thing or unsuccessful venture10. Mech. any of several devices for holding or grappling11. Meteorol.a) a parhelion; sundogb) a fogdogadj.designating a family (Canidae) of meat-eating animals that includes dogs, foxes, wolves, coyotes, and jackalsvt.dogged, dogging1. to follow, hunt, or track down doggedly☆ 2. to hold or secure with a mechanical dogadv.very; completely: used in combination [dog-tired]——————a dog's ageInformal a long time——————a dog's lifea wretched existence——————dog in the mangera person who keeps others from using something which that person is not using——————dog itSlang to fail to exert the maximum or expected effort——————every dog has his daysomething good or lucky happens to everyone at one time or another——————go to the dogsInformal to deteriorate; degenerate——————let sleeping dogs lieto let well enough alone; not disturb things as they are for fear of something worse——————☆ put on the dogSlang to make a show of being very elegant, wealthy, etc.——————teach an old dog new tricksto induce a person of settled habits to adopt new methods or ideas——————the Greater Dogthe constellation Canis Major: also called the Big Dog——————the Lesser Dogthe constellation Canis Minor: also called the Little Dog
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.