pelt of the dog
An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; compare hair of the dog.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He drank a beer as a pelt of the dog.”
“You look tipsy because you drank a pelt of the dog this morning.”
“After a long night of partying, he ignored his headache and drank a strong cocktail as a pelt of the dog.”
“She tried to cure her hangover with a small drink, but she ended up having a pelt of the dog and felt drunk again by lunchtime.”
“Instead of just one glass to settle his stomach, he finished the whole bottle as a pelt of the dog and ruined his entire day.”
“Seeking relief from the morning's tremors, he foolishly turned to a pelt of the dog, only to find himself intoxicated before noon.”
An alteration of the idiom *hair of the dog*, substituting *pelt* for *hair* to imply a significantly greater quantity of the restorative agent. The shift in terminology suggests that if a single strand of the animal is insufficient to cure the consequences of the previous evening, the entire skin might be required.
- 01
buy a dog and bark oneself
To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
- 02
call off the dogs
To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.
- 03
cat and dog life
An unhappy married life marked by arguments and disagreements.
- 04
dog and cat
A team comprising one male and one female, either working as associates or having one as the second-in-command to the other.
- 05
dog and pony show
Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate, while lacking real substance.
- 06
dog around
To follow diligently.
- 07
dog in the hunt
Something that may lead to gain, depending on the outcome; a position for which to campaign or cheer.
- 08
dog in the manger
Someone who denies to others something that the denier cannot use.
Last updated August 10, 2026