DOG

dog (dog) Forms: docga, dogge, doggue, dogg, dog [The word derives from the generic OE hund (HOUND) from the Teutonic languages. Late OE cites the form docga; previous history is unknown. The word first appeared within the Germanic languages, referring to a powerful breed of dogs. From there, it was introduced into more continental languages (Ger. dogge, French dogue, H. Sp. Pg. dogo). The meaning was always used to identify an animal. Over the past seven centuries, the word evolved from labeling a canine into a series of derogatory terms. Only in the past decade has the word returned to a positive connotation. Several phrases are associated with the word dog, most of which are used in a derogatory manner, referring to dishonesty and misfortune.

1.a. n A quadruped of the genus Canis, of which wild species or forms are found in various parts of the world, and numerous races or breeds, varying greatly in size, shape, and colour, occur in a domesticated or semi-domesticated state in almost all countries. These are referred by zoologists to a species C. familiaris; but whether they have a common origin is a disputed question.

a. 1050 Prudentius Glosses canun [gen. Pl.] docgena.

    1. 1393 LANGL. P. PL. C. Thi dogge dar nat berke.
    2. 1568 TILNEY Disc. Mariage D viiij b, Dogs barke boldely at their owne maisters doore.

b. n A dog used for hunting; a hound.

    1. 1307 Pol. Songs (Camden) 239 A doseyn of doggen Ne myhte hyre drawe.

b. 1649 BP. REYNOLDS Hosea iii. 38 The Dogge in hunting of the Deere.

c. adj Applied to a person—in reproach, abuse, contempt: a worthless fellow

    1. 1325 Coer de L. 4518 Jhon Doyly…slowgh hym…And sayde: ‘Dogge ther thou ly!’
    2. 1653 H. COGAN tr. Pinto’s Trav. xx. 72 Such feeble slaves, as these Christian Dogs.

d. n In distinguishing sex, the male of this species; a male hound; opp. to BITCH.

    1. 1577 B. GOOGE Heresbach’s Husb. III. (1586) 154 b, The Dogge is thought

better than the Bitche.

e. n A penis

a. 1600 in Wardroper Love and Drollery 162: Will you buy a fine dog with a hole

in his head? With a dildo, With a dildo, dildo [etc.]

 

f. n fig.; esp in Shakesperian phr. the dogs of war

    1. 1667 MILTON P.L. x. 616 See with what heat these Dogs of Hell advance.

g. n Meanness; treachery

a. 1845 J. Hooper—Simon Suggs (170) – 1845-Strip, and I’ll whip as much ____

out of you…

h. n Rogue, reprobate

    1. 1880 SCOTT Ivanhoe vii, Dog of an unbeliever…darest thou press upon A

Christian!

i. n An inferior animal

    1. 1919 American usage John P. Roche The President had read the speech to some of his friends and they told him it was a dog.

j. n Something poor or mediocre; a failure.

    1. 1936 Metronome Feb. 21/4 Dog, Something [i.e. a song] that’s kicked around.

k. vbl To tell a lie

    1. 1938 American usage, "I’m not doggin’!"

l. n An ugly, unpleasant, or unattractive woman

    1. 1950 common use in the US

m. n Sexual desire or lust

    1. 1965 American usage

n. n A treacherous or brutal person

    1. 1966 S. Harris Hellhole

o. vbl to abandon, reject, get rid of

a. 1980 American usage

p. vbl To dog (someone) around; to treat badly, cruelly, irresponsibly or unfaithfully,

especially to one’s partner

    1. 1980 Americanism, origin in Black street talk of the 1950s.

 

dogg (dog, dawg) n a friend or a buddy, not derogatory

 

dog cheap adj Extremely cheap; at a very low or contemptible price.

    1. 1829 SCOTT Jrnl. 2 June, They might…have the…property for 16,000,

which is dog cheap.

dog it v to fail to expend the effort needed to do or accomplish something.

dog tired adv totally and completely tired

dog pack n a circle of friends

a. 1999 NYU Your dogpack watches your back, no matter what you do.

go to the dogs v to go for ruin

 

Works Consulted

Allsop, Richard. Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed. 2001.

College Slang Research Project. Ed. Judi Sanders. California State Polytechnic

University, Pomona CA. 1997-1999. http://www.csupomona.edu/~jasanders/slang/project.html>

Dictionary of American Regional English. 1st ed. 1985.

 

Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.

Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang. 1st ed. 1994.

Thorne, Tony. Dictionary of Contemporary Slang. New York: Pantheon Books, 1990.

copyright by Carrie Hagen

July 19, 2001

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