Library / English Dictionary

DOG

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: dogged    , dogging   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

Example:

the dog barked all night

Synonyms:

Canis familiaris; dog; domestic dog

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

domestic animal; domesticated animal (any of various animals that have been tamed and made fit for a human environment)

canid; canine (any of various fissiped mammals with nonretractile claws and typically long muzzles)

Meronyms (parts of "dog"):

flag (a conspicuously marked or shaped tail)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dog"):

Mexican hairless (any of an old breed of small nearly hairless dogs of Mexico)

poodle; poodle dog (an intelligent dog with a heavy curly solid-colored coat that is usually clipped; an old breed sometimes trained as sporting dogs or as performing dogs)

corgi; Welsh corgi (either of two Welsh breeds of long-bodied short-legged dogs with erect ears and a fox-like head)

Belgian griffon; Brussels griffon; griffon (breed of various very small compact wiry-coated dogs of Belgian origin having a short bearded muzzle)

spitz (any of various stocky heavy-coated breeds of dogs native to northern regions having pointed muzzles and erect ears with a curled furry tail)

Great Pyrenees (bred of large heavy-coated white dogs resembling the Newfoundland)

Newfoundland; Newfoundland dog (a breed of very large heavy dogs with a thick coarse usually black coat; highly intelligent dogs and vigorous swimmers; developed in Newfoundland)

Leonberg (a large dog (usually with a golden coat) produced by crossing a St Bernard and a Newfoundland)

pug; pug-dog (small compact smooth-coated breed of Asiatic origin having a tightly curled tail and broad flat wrinkled muzzle)

puppy (a young dog)

barker; bow-wow; doggie; doggy; pooch (informal terms for dogs)

cur; mongrel; mutt (an inferior dog or one of mixed breed)

lapdog (a dog small and tame enough to be held in the lap)

toy; toy dog (any of several breeds of very small dogs kept purely as pets)

hunting dog (a dog used in hunting game)

working dog (any of several breeds of usually large powerful dogs bred to work as draft animals and guard and guide dogs)

carriage dog; coach dog; dalmatian (a large breed having a smooth white coat with black or brown spots; originated in Dalmatia)

basenji (small smooth-haired breed of African origin having a tightly curled tail and the inability to bark)

Holonyms ("dog" is a member of...):

Canis; genus Canis (type genus of the Canidae: domestic and wild dogs; wolves; jackals)

pack (a group of hunting animals)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Metal supports for logs in a fireplace

Example:

the andirons were too hot to touch

Synonyms:

andiron; dog; dog-iron; firedog

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

support (any device that bears the weight of another thing)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward

Synonyms:

click; detent; dog; pawl

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

catch; stop (a restraint that checks the motion of something)

Holonyms ("dog" is a part of...):

rachet; ratch; ratchet (mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A smooth-textured sausage of minced beef or pork usually smoked; often served on a bread roll

Synonyms:

dog; frank; frankfurter; hot dog; hotdog; weenie; wiener; wienerwurst

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

sausage (highly seasoned minced meat stuffed in casings)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dog"):

Vienna sausage (short slender frankfurter usually with ends cut off)

Holonyms ("dog" is a part of...):

hot dog; hotdog; red hot (a frankfurter served hot on a bun)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Someone who is morally reprehensible

Example:

you dirty dog

Synonyms:

blackguard; bounder; cad; dog; heel; hound

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

scoundrel; villain (a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dog"):

perisher (bounder)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Informal term for a man

Example:

you lucky dog

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

blighter; bloke; chap; cuss; fella; feller; fellow; gent; lad (a boy or man)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A dull unattractive unpleasant girl or woman

Example:

she's a real dog

Synonyms:

dog; frump

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("dog" is a kind of...):

disagreeable woman; unpleasant woman (a woman who is an unpleasant person)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Go after with the intent to catch

Example:

the dog chased the rabbit

Synonyms:

chase; chase after; dog; give chase; go after; tag; tail; track; trail

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "dog" is one way to...):

follow; pursue (follow in or as if in pursuit)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dog"):

tree (chase an animal up a tree)

quest (search the trail of (game))

hound; hunt; trace (pursue or chase relentlessly)

run down (pursue until captured)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot dog Sue

Credits

 Context examples: 

A living dog is better than a dead lion, say I with the Preacher.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Then I fancy we have seen him, for the day before we picked you up we saw some dogs drawing a sledge, with a man in it, across the ice.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is a small dog with an unkempt, wiry double coat with shaggy eyebrows, beard and mustache.

(Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, NCI Thesaurus)

Then followed a battle of looks between them, but the captain soon knuckled under, put up his weapon, and resumed his seat, grumbling like a beaten dog.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

“The cunning dog has covered his tracks,” said he.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a long, low dog with large erect ears, a broad flat skull and a fox-like head.

(Pembroke Welsh Corgi, NCI Thesaurus)

A distinct characteristic of the Norwegian Elkhound is the absence of "dog odor".

(Norwegian Elkhound, NCI Thesaurus)

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a muscular dog with a rather rectangular body, massive head, and wrinkled face.

(Neapolitan Mastiff, NCI Thesaurus)

In 2003, it was reported in prairie dogs and humans in the U.S.

(Monkeypox Virus Infections, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A dog that is not purebred.

(Mix Breed, NCI Thesaurus)