dog Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun 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
    domestic dog; Canis familiaris.
    • the dog barked all night
  2. noun a dull unattractive unpleasant girl or woman
    frump.
    • she got a reputation as a frump
    • she's a real dog
  3. noun informal term for a man
    • you lucky dog
  4. noun someone who is morally reprehensible
    bounder; blackguard; hound; heel; cad.
    • you dirty dog
  5. noun a smooth-textured sausage of minced beef or pork usually smoked; often served on a bread roll
    frank; hot dog; wiener; wienerwurst; frankfurter; weenie; hotdog.
  6. noun a hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward
    detent; pawl; click.
  7. noun metal supports for logs in a fireplace
    dog-iron; andiron; firedog.
    • the andirons were too hot to touch
  8. verb go after with the intent to catch
    go after; chase after; track; trail; tail; tag; give chase; chase.
    • The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
    • the dog chased the rabbit

WordNet

Dog noun
Etymology
AS. docga; akin to D. dog mastiff, Dan. dogge, Sw. dogg.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A quadruped of the genus Canis, esp. the domestic dog (C. familiaris). The dog is distinguished above all others of the inferior animals for intelligence, docility, and attachment to man. There are numerous carefully bred varieties, as the beagle, bloodhound, bulldog, coachdog, collie, Danish dog, foxhound, greyhound, mastiff, pointer, poodle, St. Bernard, setter, spaniel, spitz dog, terrier, etc. There are also many mixed breeds, and partially domesticated varieties, as well as wild dogs, like the dingo and dhole. (See these names in the Vocabulary.)
  2. A mean, worthless fellow; a wretch.
    What is thy servant, which is but a dog, that he should do this great thing? 2 Kings viii. 13 (Rev. Ver. )
  3. A fellow; -- used humorously or contemptuously; as, a sly dog; a lazy dog. Colloq.
  4. (Astron.) One of the two constellations, Canis Major and Canis Minor, or the Greater Dog and the Lesser Dog. Canis Major contains the Dog Star (Sirius).
  5. An iron for holding wood in a fireplace; a firedog; an andiron.
  6. (Mech.) (a) A grappling iron, with a claw or claws, for fastening into wood or other heavy articles, for the purpose of raising or moving them. (b) An iron with fangs fastening a log in a saw pit, or on the carriage of a sawmill. (c) A piece in machinery acting as a catch or clutch; especially, the carrier of a lathe, also, an adjustable stop to change motion, as in a machine tool. ✍ Dog is used adjectively or in composition, commonly in the sense of relating to, or characteristic of, a dog. It is also used to denote a male; as, dog fox or g-fox, a male fox; dog otter or dog-otter, dog wolf, etc.; -- also to denote a thing of cheap or mean quality; as, dog Latin.
Dog transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Dogged ; present participle & verbal noun Dogging
Definitions
  1. To hunt or track like a hound; to follow insidiously or indefatigably; to chase with a dog or dogs; to worry, as if by dogs; to hound with importunity.
    I have been pursued, dogged, and waylaid. Pope.
    Your sins will dog you, pursue you. Burroughs.
    Eager ill-bred petitioners, who do not so properly supplicate as hunt the person whom they address to, dogging him from place to place, till they even extort an answer to their rude requests. South.

Webster 1913