5 VERB If problems or injuries dog you, they are with you all the time. □ [V n] His career has been dogged by bad luck.
6 → see also dogged , guide dog , prairie dog , sniffer dog
7 PHRASE You describe something as a dog's breakfast or dog's dinner in order to express your disapproval of it, for example because it is very untidy, badly organized, or badly done. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
8 PHRASE You use dog eat dog to express your disapproval of a situation where everyone wants to succeed and is willing to harm other people in order to do so. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ It is very much dog eat dog out there.
9 PHRASE If you say that something is going to the dogs , you mean that it is becoming weaker and worse in quality. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ They sit in impotent opposition while the country goes to the dogs. COLLOCATIONS dog NOUN 6
noun + dog : accusations, allegations, controversy, rumours, scandal; bad luck, ill health, injury, misfortune, problems; criticism, questions
do g-collar (dog-collars ) also dog collar
1 N‑COUNT A dog-collar is a stiff, round, white collar that fastens at the back and that is worn by Christian priests and ministers. [INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A dog-collar is a collar worn by a dog.
do g-eared ADJ A book or piece of paper that is dog-eared has been used so much that the corners of the pages are turned down or torn. □ …dog-eared copies of ancient history books.
dog|fight /dɒ gfa I t, [AM ] dɔː g-/ (dogfights ) also dog fight
1 N‑COUNT A dogfight is a fight between fighter planes, in which they fly close to one another and move very fast.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that organizations or people are involved in a dogfight , you mean they are struggling very hard against each other in order to succeed. □ The three leading contenders were locked in a dogfight.
dog|fish /dɒ gf I ʃ, [AM ] dɔː g-/ (dogfish ) N‑COUNT A dogfish is a small shark. There are several kinds of dogfish.
dog|ged /dɒ g I d, [AM ] dɔː -/ ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone's actions as dogged , you mean that they are determined to continue with something even if it becomes difficult or dangerous. □ They have gained respect through sheer dogged determination. ● dog|ged|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ She would fight doggedly for her rights as the children's mother. ● dog|ged|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Most of my accomplishments came as the result of sheer doggedness.
dog|ger|el /dɒ gər ə l, [AM ] dɔː -/ N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to a poem as doggerel , you are emphasizing that you think it is very bad poetry. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …fragments of meaningless doggerel.
dog|gie /dɒ gi, [AM ] dɔː -/ (doggies ) N‑COUNT Doggie is a child's word for a dog.
do g|gie ba g (doggie bags ) N‑COUNT If you ask for a doggie bag in a restaurant, you ask for any food you have not eaten to be put into a bag for you to take home.
dog|gy /dɒ gi, [AM ] dɔː -/ (doggies ) → see doggie
dog|house /dɒ ghaʊs, [AM ] dɔː g-/ (doghouses ) also dog-house
1 N‑COUNT A doghouse is a small building made especially for a dog to sleep in. [AM ] in BRIT, use kennel
2 PHRASE If you are in the doghouse , people are annoyed or angry with you. [INFORMAL ] □ He plays a salesman in the doghouse for repeatedly turning up late.
dog|leg /dɒ gleg, [AM ] dɔː g-/ (doglegs ) also dog-leg N‑COUNT A dogleg is a sharp bend in a road or a path.
dog|ma /dɒ gmə, [AM ] dɔː g-/ (dogmas ) N‑VAR If you refer to a belief or a system of beliefs as a dogma , you disapprove of it because people are expected to accept that it is true, without questioning it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Their political dogma has blinded them to the real needs of the country.
dog|mat|ic /dɒgmæ t I k, [AM ] dɔːg-/ ADJ If you say that someone is dogmatic , you are critical of them because they are convinced that they are right, and refuse to consider that other opinions might also be justified. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Many writers at this time held rigidly dogmatic views. ● dog|mati|cal|ly /dɒgmæ t I kli, [AM ] dɔːg-/ ADV [ADV with v] □ He applies the Marxist world view dogmatically to all social phenomena.
dog|ma|tism /dɒ gmət I zəm, [AM ] dɔː g-/ N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to an opinion as dogmatism , you are criticizing it for being strongly stated without considering all the relevant facts or other people's opinions. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ We cannot allow dogmatism to stand in the way of progress. ● dog|ma|tist (dogmatists ) N‑COUNT □ Intellectuals are becoming unhappy with dogmatists in the party leadership.
do -goo der (do-gooders ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a do-gooder , you mean that they do things which they think will help other people, although you think that they are interfering. [DISAPPROVAL ]
dogs|body /dɒ gzbɒdi, [AM ] dɔː gz-/ (dogsbodies ) N‑COUNT A dogsbody is a person who has to do all the boring jobs that nobody else wants to do. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
do g tag (dog tags ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Dog tags are metal identification discs that are worn on a chain around the neck by members of the United States armed forces.
do g-ti red ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that you are dog-tired , you are emphasizing that you are extremely tired. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ By dusk we were dog-tired and heading for home.
dog|wood /dɒ gwʊd, [AM ] dɔː g-/ (dogwoods ) N‑VAR A dogwood is a tree or bush that has groups of small white flowers surrounded by four large leaves.
doi|ly /dɔ I li/ (doilies ) N‑COUNT A doily is a small, round piece of paper or cloth that has a pattern of tiny holes in it. Doilies are put on plates under cakes and sandwiches.