dog

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. something that is a failure or does not work well.

n. an item, project, or investment that performs poorly or is of noticeably inferior quality.

“That old car was a total dog and broke down every week.”

“The studio realized the film was a dog long before its release, but they were already committed to a massive marketing campaign.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Slang · Informal

n. a way to describe a person, often used between friends or as an insult.

n. a term of address for a man, ranging from affectionate camaraderie to a derogatory description of an unattractive or contemptible person.

“What's up, dog? I haven't seen you since the summer.”

“He was known as a lucky dog in the office, always managing to secure the best accounts without much apparent effort.”

C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Informal · Slang

n. a slang word for your feet.

n. a plural slang reference to human feet.

“My dogs are barking after walking around the city all day.”

“After twelve hours on the hospital floor, the nurse sat down and complained that her dogs were killing her.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technical

n. a metal tool or part used to hold something in place.

n. a mechanical device, such as a heavy metal hook or bar, used for gripping, fastening, or holding an object.

“The worker used a steel dog to secure the hatch on the ship.”

“The carpenter engaged the bench dog to hold the timber steady while he planed the surface to a smooth finish.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to follow someone closely and persistently, often in a way that is annoying.

v. to follow or track someone or something persistently and relentlessly.

“Rumors of the scandal continued to dog the politician throughout the election.”

“Technical failures continued to dog the project, eventually forcing the lead engineer to request a complete redesign of the cooling system.”

C1 · Advanced Slang

adj. of very poor quality; bad.

adj. denoting something of extremely low quality or standard.

“That was a dog performance and the audience hated it.”

“The critics dismissed the play as a dog production, citing the amateurish set design and the lead actor's wooden delivery.”