What Does “sick as a dog” mean?
Definition:
If someone is sick as a dog, they are very ill.
Oigin
This simile was first used back in 1705. Nowadays, dogs have become human companions but back then dogs were not well appreciated by humans. When they were sick, dogs were left to die in the open air.
This idiom compares a person to a sick dog. It’s unclear why dogs were particularly considered sick. But many idioms make allusions to dogs negatively:
– a dog-eat-dog world.
– die like a dog.
– dog in the manger.
– a dog’s breakfast.
Example(s)
I couldn’t come because I was sick as a dog.
This idiom is in the health category.
