Explore 12 kinds of furry kids phrases/proverbs/slang, and walk together on International Dog Day [Dog English]!

Article source: Takeaway English official website

Dogs are the most loyal friends of human beings. August 26 is International Dog Day. According to a survey, there are nearly 3 million dogs and cats in Taiwan, which has exceeded the number of children under the age of 15, of which up to 67% have dogs. It shows that raising hairy children in Taiwan is better than raising children. There are countless phrases and proverbs related to "dog" in English. Humans like to use the image of a dog to describe various behaviors. Do you know what kind of days are "dog days, dog's life"? What is the meaning behind "dog eat dog"? What does "the tail wagging the dog" mean? What does "go to the dogs, dog in the manger" mean? On this special International Dog Day, let's learn 12 English phrases, proverbs and idioms related to dogs, and let's walk [Dog English] together!

Dog English Phrase 1: dog days, summer vacation

The phrase originated in ancient Rome, Greece or Egypt, who believed that the extreme heat was caused by the Earth's proximity to Sirius (Canis Major), and the Romans called the end of summer the dog star day. Therefore, dog days refers to hot days and dog days.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: the hottest days of the summer

Example: The dog days of summer are a difficult period for those who have to work out in the open.

Dog English Phrase 2: dog's life miserable life

The phrase originated in the 16th century, when dogs of this era lived miserably. To live a dog-like life, you can use the verb live/lead a dog's life to refer to an inhuman life of long-term worry, pain, sadness, or monotony.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: a very unhappy and unpleasant life

Example: I've been working so hard. I'm tired of living a dog's life.
I've been working hard and I'm tired of this inhuman misery.

Dog English Phrase 3: work like a dog

Work like a dog mostly refers to working tirelessly, or doing a lot of work for little pay. Conversely, others have interpreted "dog" as a metaphor for lazy people, indicating that they work very little, or implying that "work" is somehow degrading.

Cambridge Dictionary Solution: to work very hard

Example: You can work like a dog and still not make ends meet.
You can work as hard as you can and still not make a living.

Dog English Phrase 4: dog-tired

Hearing a dog-tired brain comes to mind, a dog that is tired and paralyzed, it may be a collie or a hunting dog that has just finished work. The phrase comes from the story of Alfred the Great, the British emperor, who released a large number of hounds. To see which son can bring back the most hounds, he will be favored by him that night and sit at his right hand to enjoy Dinner, and chasing the hound makes them exhausted dog-tired, so dog-tired means extremely tired, you can also say dead on your feet or dead tired.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: extremely tired

Example: I can safely say, I have never been so dog-tired as that night in Chicago.
I can say with certainty that I've never been as tired as that night in Chicago.

Dog English Phrase 5: sick as a dog is very sick

Dogs were considered unwelcome animals in the 17th century, so many negative words related to dogs were derived, sick as dog means being so sick that you may want to vomit. Other similar metaphors, sick as a parrot, are as ill as a parrot, which means very disappointed, very disappointed.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: vomiting a lot

Example: I was sick as a dog after last night's meal.

Dog English Phrase 6: dog eat dog

Even the dog bites the dog and kills each other, which means a ruthless competitive environment and success at all costs.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: used to describe a situation in which people will do anything to be successful, even if what they do harms other people

Example: It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. It's a ruthless world out there.

Dog English Phrase 7: go to the dogs is not as good as before

Dogs were seen as inferior creatures in the 17th century, they savagely ate rubbish in the suburbs, and if an institution had gone to the dog, it would no longer be as prosperous as it once was. go to the dog means that organizations, institutions, etc. have collapsed and are not as good as before.

Cambridge Dictionary explains: If a country or organization is going to the dogs, it is becoming very much less successful than it was in the past

Example: This firm's gone to the dogs since you took over! This firm's gone to the dogs since you took over!

Dog English Phrase 8: the tail wagging the dog put the cart before the horse and shift the focus

There is a saying that a dog is smarter than its tail, but if the tail is smarter, the tail will wag the dog. Imagine a dog wagging its tail until the whole body is wagging, the tail wagging the dog The tail wagging the dog is a metaphor for reversing the primary and secondary aspects of things, where the secondary part dominates or determines the overall situation. This phrase can also be abbreviated as wag the dog. In addition to the meaning of abandoning the root, it can also refer to shifting the focus, or serving a large group to a small group.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: a situation in which a large group has to do something to satisfy a small group

Example: The prime minister keeps wagging the dog to keep people from actually finding out about the scam and its details.

Dog English Phrase 9: dog in the manger

The manger is the feed trough, and dog in the manger means occupying the hut and not shitting. This phrase appears in Aesop's fables about a dog jumping into a cow's feed trough to take a nap and drive away the cows that are coming back to graze. The moral of the story is that people are often jealous of others for having things they can't enjoy.

Cambridge Dictionary explains: someone who keeps something that they do not want in order to prevent someone else from getting it

Example: Stop being such a dog in the manger and let your sister ride your bike if you're not using it.

Dog English Phrase 10: fight like cat and dog

A cat and dog fight like cat and dog symbolizes a situation where two people are constantly arguing or arguing over a particular issue.

Cambridge Dictionary definition: to have angry arguments all the time

Example: The politicians tend to fight like cat and dog during general elections.
During an election, politicians tend to quarrel like cats and dogs.

Dog Proverbs 11: You can't teach an old dog new tricks

Like animals, old age is difficult to learn. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, which means you can't change the thoughts, practices, or habits of others.

Cambridge Dictionary explains: said to mean that it is very difficult to teach someone new skills or to change someone's habits or character

Example: I tried to make my grandmother learn how to use a smartphone but it was just like you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
I'm trying to teach my grandmother how to use a smartphone, but it's like you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Dog English Proverb 12: every dog has its day

Every dog has its day, every dog has its day, that is, everyone has a chance to succeed, even if you are unwilling now, but the feng shui turns, there will always be a day when it is your turn to be successful, which can be used to encourage those around you .

Cambridge Dictionary definition: said to emphasize that everyone is successful or happy at some time in their life

Example: I know you're shocked that the dopey kid got a better grade than you, but hey, every dog has its day. I know you're shocked that the dopey kid got a better grade than you, but hey, every dog has its day.

Summary: 12 kinds of [dog English] phrases / idioms / proverbs

Now let's summarize, we learned 12 English phrases and proverbs related to "dog" today:

1.   dog days
2. dog's life miserable life
3. work like a dog
4. dog-tired
5. sick as a dog
6. dog eat dog
7. go to the dogs
8. the tail wagging the dog put the cart before the horse, shift focus
9. dog in the manager
10. fight like cat and dog
11. you can't teach an old dog new tricks
12. every dog has its day

After reading today's [Dog English], do you think the metaphors of various types of dogs are very interesting? Next time, you can use dog-related English phrases, idioms or proverbs to talk to your friends, let's celebrate International Dog Day together, and do our best for furry kids!

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