تابعوا المصطلحات
dog Idioms
as clean as a hound's tooth
- very clean
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.
as crooked as a dog's hind leg
- dishonest
The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.
as sick as a dog
- very sick
My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.
one's bark is worse than one's bite
- one's words are worse than one's actions
You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person.
bark up the wrong tree
- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)
My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I was away at the time.
call the dogs off
- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone
The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.
dog and pony show
- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)
We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.
dog-eat-dog
- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants
It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.
dog in the manger
- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do (in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other animals from eating the hay)
My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing."
fight like cats and dogs
- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)
The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.
go to the dogs
- to deteriorate, to become bad
Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.
the hair of the dog that bit one
- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover
The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.
to hound (someone)
- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone
The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that they work hard.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble
The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.
lead a dog`s life
- to lead a miserable life
The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to.
let sleeping dogs lie
- to not make trouble if you do not have to
You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.
put on the dog
- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner
We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.
rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way
- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)
The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.
see a man about a dog
- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)
I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.
a shaggy dog story
- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or unexpected way
My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.
one's tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)
The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the company president.
the tail wagging the dog
- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing
When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail wagging the dog.
top dog
- the most important person in an organization
My uncle is the top dog in his company.
turn tail
- to run away from trouble or danger
We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
- it is difficult for older people to learn new things
You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change his eating habits.
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