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Although some may think of the term ""Ìýas being specific to canines, it's actually used across the animal kingdom to describe dominant males within a pack or community. Now, the term has come to describe men who assume a dominant role in professional or social situations.

According to Gary Martin, author ofÌý website, the earliest recorded usage of the termÌý appears in Harper's Magazine in 1850. The term began as an affectionate phrase for small, feisty dogs, but has come to include irritating children and those who display annoying behavior.

If one isÌý,Ìýthey're mistaken about something. ThisÌý can be traced all the way back to the early 1800s, when it was common practice for hunting dogs to corner or treeÌýan animal. The term describes a situation where a hound believes an animal to be treed, when in reality it has escaped.

This idiom encompasses two unique meanings. A person or company with a lot of power can be referred to as a .ÌýIn golf, "big dog" also refers to the driver—the biggest, longest club in a player's bag.

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To Ìýmeans to follow something or someone closely. Bird dogs, like pointers, setters, or retrievers,Ìýare trained to retrieve birds and other small prey by closely tracking the scent of the animal in order to bring it to their master. The term is also used to describe a popularÌý.

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The term comes from British folklore and refers to a ghostly dog who is considered an omen of death. In popular culture, "black dog"Ìýhas come to serve aÌý—combining melancholy, fear of death, and a trailing dread that follows the sufferer wherever they roam.

Bloodhounds haveÌý— roughly 40 times the number of cells in a human nose. With biology like that, it's no wonder they can track prey upwards of 100 miles at a time. To call someone a bloodhoundÌýmeans they will pursue something relentlessly, to the ends of the earth.

Even the most devoted master sometimes needs a break from the constant cycle of snoot boops and snuggles. Thus it becomes necessary to occupy Fido with something small and inconsequential. To Ìýmeans to placate them with something minor or of little value.

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When hunters used to return home with the blood of their game on their boots, dogs would jostle against each other for the honor of licking their master's shoes. Although not often used today, the term Ìýdescribes the act of trying to gain someone's favor by groveling.

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To Ìýis to pursue a pointless pattern of behavior. In fact, most dogs chase their tail as a form of play, or toÌýalleviate boredom. While it's a common behavior in puppies and kittens, there are plenty of playful older dogs who engage in the behavior as well. But be warned: Excessive tail chasing in older dogs might be a sign of compulsive behavior.Ìý

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If oneÌýloves proper grammar, they're a .ÌýThe term originated at a Madison Square Garden dog show when a canine destroyed a copy of the catalog, and a sports writer commented on the "destruction" of the first paragraph.

Mark Twain once described a river channel as "." The expression is typically used to describe something or someone who is dishonest or corrupt.

The term "" packs a lot of significance in three little words. It originated in the 1930s and means to restrain a dog from doing theirÌýbusiness in a certain area, usually the side of the road.

Silence speaks volumes, suggests thisÌý, which originated in literature. When an inspector says to Sherlock Holmes, "The dog did nothing in the night-time," Holmes replies, "That was the curious incident." Holmes is suggesting that the dog didn't bark because he recognized the intruder.

This refers to the hot summer months between July and September. Its name in Latin is "dies caniculares," which translates to "Dog Star" days. The Romans believed that Sirius, theÌý, which rises and sets with the sun during this period, caused heatwaves in the northern temperate regions at this time of year. It is the brightest star visible from Earth.

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If one isÌýselfishly hoarding something they don't need, they're a dog in the manger. This comes from one of Aesop's fables: "A dog lay in a manger, and by his growling and snapping prevented the oxen from eating the hay which had been placed for them."

If one hasÌýbeen working like a dog, they may beÌý and ready for a nap. A similar expression can be found in the "Taming of the Shrew," when Shakespeare's character Biondello pronounces himself "dog-weary."

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Seven to one. That's how much older one's dog is than them. To calculate a dog would be if they were human, multiply their age by seven.

When oneÌýcan't finish their meal, they ask for aÌý. The modern use of the term originates from World War II, when food was in short supply. Pet owners wereÌý in order to economize.

This mimics the way dogs swim—with the swimmer with their heads out of water, paddling their arms like the front legs of a dog. Don't expect to see this stroke in the Olympics anytime soon.

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Dog whistles produce sounds at ultra-high pitches that dogs can hear, but humans cannot. means one is dropping clues about their political message without offending other constituencies.

This looks a lot like a dog stretching out its front legs. The term translates as "adho mukha svanasana" in Sanskrit and is one of the most common beginner yoga poses.

A dog with his tail low is considered to be submissive or unhappy. ToÌý, means one isÌýsad or ashamed. The expression first appeared in George MacDonald's children's fantasy novel "The Princess and Curdle."

Andy Warhol famously stated that everyone gets 15 minutes of fame. That's the meaning behind thisÌý. The origin of the phrase can be traced back to the 1862 epic poem "The Water-Babies" by Charles Kingsley: "Young blood must have its course, lad, And every dog his day."

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This expression describes a conflict of interspecies proportions. It first appeared in a humorousÌý for children called "The Duel," by Eugene Field, which describes a fight between a dog and a cat: "But the truth about that cat and pup is that they ate each other up."

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Cargo pilots are sometimes known asÌý, a nickname that isn't always meant the be flattering. In fact,Ìý at pilots who spend more time in the air than they do on the ground.

People used to believe that if a dog bit someone, its hair would cure themÌýof the bite. Nowadays, the expression is used toÌý—wherein the effects of alcohol withdrawal are negated by the continued consumption of booze.

A shamefaced, guilty, or somewhat sad expression. TheÌý appeared all the way back in 1677 in Otway's "Cheats of Scapin III," but is still commonly used today.

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This phrase is attributed toÌý, who published it in "Poor Richard's Almanack" in 1773.

This means a lot of happiness and pleasure.Ìý was featured in two popular novelty songs. The first was recorded by country singer Little Jimmy Dickens in 1952, and just four years later, Perry Como's "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" reached #1 on the Billboard charts.

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To go a is to go a long distance. Specifically, the distance a hound-dog chases a rabbit before the dog drops dead.Ìý

fabric has a checkered pattern with pointed corners. This reference came about because the design mimics a canine's sharp teeth.

A human with good manners has beenÌý. Just as aÌýdog who can do their business outsideÌýhas been house trained, too.Ìý

Hush puppies are fried dumplings made out of cornmeal. It's believed that originated sometime in the late 19th century and that dog owners tossed the fried cornmeal to dogs to keep them quiet.

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This is an . While not often used today, it means that someone is looking for something which is right under his nose.

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A dog is man's best friend, and often loyal beyond reproach, which is not always true of politicians. TheÌý to Harry S. Truman, who was cynical about Washington politics.

that hooks over a tractor's fifth wheel, replacing it with another for a semi to be hooked onto. While theÌý, it could refer to the joe dog as a leash that pulls the trailer behind it.

, which means having to undergo a rigorous test, originated from having circus animals jump through hoops. History shows that various creatures, including dogs, jumped through hoops as popular entertainment, from the end of the 19th century up until World War II.

A who is eager to take care of someone else's needs. The metaphor comes from tiny dogs who prefer to be on their owners' laps around the clock. Think: Bruiser, Reese Witherspoon's canine co-star in the film Legally Blonde. Moonie, the canine actor behind Bruiser,Ìý ago at the ripe age of 18.

Let bygones be bygones and don't stir up drama is the . This can be traced back to a line in Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde," which states, "It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake."

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When a character in Agatha Christie's "Peril at End House" asks to see a will, another responds, "What shall I say? Let the dog see the rabbit?" means get on with it. It's common among those who go to the dog track, as the dogs chase a fake rabbit around the ring.

The from the '90s begs the question,"Who let the dogs out?" This means to let loose and drop one'sÌýinhibitions. It turns up a lot in literature, including in "." One passage says, "They'd filch some strawberries and trifle from the kitchen. They could let the dogs out. They might take advantage of the empty billiards room."

"Senator, your tongue's wagging like a blind dog's tail in a meat market!" comedian Fred Allen says in a 1965 LifeÌýmagazine article. It means to beÌý

Writer Maureen Dowd cites this as a in Washington. It means to have something that oneÌýnever expected to catch and hasÌýno need for, like a dog chasing a moving bus.

This is an old that states in order for books to be bestsellers, they must be about Lincoln, dogs, or doctors. This prompted one author to title his book, which is about publishing in the 1930s, "Lincoln's Doctor's Dog."

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You'd be devastated if someone did this. And that's the , which describes someone so sad they look like they just suffered the ultimate tragedy.

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Montgomery Burns, who appears on "The Simpsons,"Ìýfrequently tells his minion, Smithers: "Release the hounds!" when his estate is threatened. having someone to do your dirty work.

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My companion and I are a package deal. That's the . The expression is at least as old as the 1500s, when it can be attributed to John Heywood.

This phrase describes someone who has beaten the odds, perhaps even undeservedly.

Ìýfighters are so crazed that they can't even see straight. Dogs who are engaged in attack can easily embody this kind of behavior.

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There's no stronger bond between a dog and his companion. was popularized originally in a courtroom speech by George Graham Vest, a U.S. senator. Vest spoke on behalf of Charles Burden, whose dog had been shot by a neighbor. Vest won the case for him, largely as a result of his closing statement: "Eulogy to the Dog."

Someone seeking the attention of the media. A letter writer to The New York Times once complained that the author of a story aboutÌýGeorge Lakoff was "framed" as an opportunistic publicity hound.

is often used to describe a sassy, flirtatious young woman. But it also means a pet dog.ÌýTheÌý suggests that it is most likely from the mid-16th century.

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Pain is what amounts to whenÌýNietzsche writes, "I have given a name to my pain and call it 'dog': it is just as faithful, just as obtrusive and shameless, just as entertaining, just as clever as any other dog—and I can scold it and vent my bad moods on it, as others do with their dogs, servants, and wives."

If one is following someone closely and aggressively, they'reÌý. The phrase still appears often today.

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In i, William Camden, an Elizabethan historian, said, "It is hard to teach an old dog tricks." The phrase means that some people will never change.

If one doesÌýnot have much responsibility or room to run, theyÌýmight be on a short leash. White House correspondent to describe what the Bush administration did to their press secretary, Ari Fleischer: "He's a likable young man, but they keep him on a very short leash."

The internet isÌý. The line was coined by Peter Steiner, who wrote the caption for his now-classicÌýcartoon about identity on the internet.

In the "Beaver County Times," town manager Sam Stockton quotes his surgeon as saying, "You were one sick puppy" after he had his gall bladder removed. to be extremely ill.

This is aÌý where the singer makes no attempt to play a part and chooses to just stand and belt out the songs.

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This is to mean a conditioned response. It originated when psychologist Ivan Pavlov was trying to describe the mechanisms of digestion using dogs, but he noticed that the whenever he walked into the room, as they were anticipating food. Some things are hard wired.

Purebred dogs are often spoken in terms of their pedigree, or the ancestral lineage. Humans, however, likely predate dogs in terms of having a pedigree.

Who wouldn't want theÌý? It's the most desirable member of a group of prospects. It might be said of puppies, prospective boyfriends, draft picks, or practically anything else for that matter.

A tough fighter is known as a pit bull, . This is because pit bulls have a reputation as fighting dogs, though most are not, in fact, dangerous.

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is to play dead. In her analysis of the Terri Schiavo case, writer Carol Marin says, "Washington, it's clear, is a place where Republicans run scared of the religious right and Democrats just play dead."

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You might have noticed labels onÌý that indicate how each species uses the bathroom: a pointer versus a setter. What's more,Ìýdogs designated as pointers literally point at their prey using a crooked foreleg. Setters, however, point at prey by standing rigid, or "setting."

In football, it's a short kick or a punt. The is designed to keep the ball out of the returner's hands.

is someone who succumbs to someone else's needs, especially to maintain a position of privilege or status. In the run up to the Iraq War,Ìý declared, "Tony Blair is no more than George Bush's poodle."

You won't see this that mimics the cut of a poodle much anymore. Think Lucille Ball in "I Love Lucy."

This is adorned with the image of a poodle, the dog most likely to be a fashion accessory. It was a popular fashion trend in the '50s.

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A pup tent is nothing more than a . Some believe they were actually tents for small animals, not people.

Holding a puppyÌýmay bring warm feelings of puppy love, when a puppy's big eyes and floppy earsÌýwoo one over.ÌýIt's used to describe the initial stages of infatuation in human romance.

The "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" says that "" used to be a bit of a put-down, like putting on airs. It means to get dressed up or show off.

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Most dogs love to eat, and they love to eat fast; that's . The expression was first used in a children's book "Shakespeare's Scribe."

You might be looking out the window and thinking, "It's really coming down out there." To whose origins are hotly debated. Jonathan Swift often gets credit for the first use of this term in "Polite Conversation," written in 1708.

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This expression can be used in aÌý. If it's the latter, its origins are rooted in the San Francisco 49ers. It was coined by Bob Fouts, a sports commentator who saw a photo of his red-colored dog with his legs on the quarterback for the 49ers. ItÌýis used today to describe a type of football defense.

AÌý is so good he or she can win red states typically held by Republicans. The term appears to have been coined in 2004 when the Democrats came up with their strategy to retake the White House.

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If one collects rocks, they're a rock hound. Dr. Niles Eldredge, a paleontologist and educator at the American Museum of Natural History,Ìýsays "the would-beÌý still has many opportunities," even in the Big Apple.

here is a strategy for housetraining a puppy, by rubbing its nose in wherever the puppy had an accident. Used in common language, it means to call one's attention to a mistake or blunder.

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ToÌý means to fraternize with those in power, a phrase that shows up often in today's culture. If one rubs shoulders with the movers and shakers,Ìýthis is what they're doing.

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AÌý is a servile follower, especially of a political system. There is also a , which is said to evoke the image of a dog on the run when viewed through a telescope.

If one wants it both ways or isÌýrefusing to pick sides, then theyÌýmight beÌý. The expression comes from the English children's game of Hare and Hounds.

It isn't easy being theÌý in a litter, who often can't seem to compete with others for food. It also is used to refer to a short person.

A pitiful look could be described . It originates from the droopiness of a hound's eyes, which make them appear sad.

If one had aÌý, they might not remember it. It's a cocktail that calls for vodka, grapefruit juice, salt, and a lime wedge. It's also an American novelty dance done to the "Salty Dog Rag."

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ToÌý is toÌýscrew up in a major way. When used in aviation, screwing the pooch means dying while piloting an airplane. The expression was used in the film "True Lies."

If one is aÌý, they're anÌýexperienced sailor. The term was used in "Treasure Island," written by Robert Louis Stevenson, in describing the main character Long John Silver.

This is used when someone hits a ground ball right between two infielders, as if it had eyes of its own and knew where to go. The reference is akin to a seeing eye dog helping the blind.

forever and might be of interest to the narrator, but not so much the listener. That's called a shaggy dog story. Another interpretation says that while the stories might be drawn out, they typically end with a pun.

Lee Child's novel "Killing Floor," , which means a condition that has been in existence for a long time. "I've been in this joint since God's dog was a puppy," Child writes.

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Remember those amazing olfactory cells? They're the . It means to recognize or detect something, as dogs often do by using their noses.

While in the U.S., it is used in Britain often, and it means to have been swindled. Winston Churchill reportedly used it when he discovered his underground wartime headquarters were not, in fact, bombproof.

in a dog show means to show off the dog by adjusting his or her legs and body to create the perfect appearance. When applied to humans, it means that someone is attractively proportioned.

These are actually bright rainbow-like spots that appear on either side of the sun, depending on the weather conditions. Allegedly, they received their name because they were loyal to the sun, as if they were dogs that followed the sun-god Apollo, as if they were on a leash.

Imagine being cold enough to want three dogs in bedÌýto keep you warm. Some believe originated from the Australian outback.

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In chiding President George W. Bush for his commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence, New York Times columnist Frank Rich said it was like "throw[ing] a bone to the last grumpy old white guys watching Bill O'Reilly in a bunker." It means .

Every dog wants to be the dominant one. This refers to aÌý and who shouldn't be crossed.

Selling aÌý is a threat, either real or a bluff. Athletes do it all the time. Famed boxer Muhammad Ali did it best.

ToÌý is to squirm about and emulate the sheer excitement that puppies express all the time.

This is allegedly a nickname for the Yazoo Delta, , although rail historians disagree whether this route even existed. Some say there was a man stuck at a train depot who sang a song about "going where the Southern cross the dog."

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