noun
dog
dog
noun
1
A domesticated mammal (Canis familiaris) kept as a pet or working animal, closely related to wolves.
"The dog barked at the mail carrier every morning."
"They adopted a rescue dog from the local shelter."
2
Informal: an unpleasant, cowardly, or morally low person, or (dated/offensive) an unattractive woman.
"He called his old business partner a dog for backing out of the deal."
3
A mechanical clamp, catch, or gripping device used to hold or fasten something.
"The crew tightened the dogs on the hatch before the storm hit."
How to Use Dog
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly, man's best friend — the domestic dog — though it has several slang and technical senses too.
Common pairings
walk the dog
a dog's life
go to the dogs
dog tired
Word Forms
dogged past tense, dogs plural, dogs singular
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Etymology
From Old English docga, a word of uncertain origin that eventually replaced "hound" as the general term for the animal.