hog
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to take or use most of something in a greedy way so that others cannot have any.
v.to monopolise a resource or space greedily or selfishly. Transitive; requires a direct object.
Simple“Stop hogging the remote control and let someone else choose a channel.”
In context“He tended to hog the conversation during board meetings, rarely allowing his colleagues to voice their concerns regarding the budget.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a large pig, especially one that is fully grown.
n.a domesticated swine, specifically an adult animal raised for meat.
Simple“The farmer kept several hogs in the large pen behind the barn.”
In context“The livestock competition featured various breeds of hogs, each judged on their physical proportions and health.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a person who is greedy or selfish.
n.a person who acts in a gluttonous or selfishly acquisitive manner.
Simple“Don't be such a hog; leave some pizza for the rest of us.”
In context“In the local community, he was known as a corporate hog who prioritised personal profit over the welfare of his employees.”
SynonymsgluttonmiserAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
n.a very large and heavy motorcycle.
n.a large, heavy motorcycle, often specifically referring to a Harley-Davidson. Frequently used within biker subcultures.
Simple“He spent every weekend cleaning his hog before taking it out for a long ride.”
In context“The roar of dozens of hogs filled the air as the motorcycle club rode through the small mountain town.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
v.when the middle of a ship's floor curves upward.
v.to cause the middle of a ship's hull or keel to arch upwards while the ends droop, typically due to uneven loading or heavy seas.
Simple“The old wooden ship began to hog because it was loaded incorrectly.”
In context“If the cargo is concentrated at the bow and stern, the hull may hog, putting dangerous structural stress on the keel.”
UsageThe verb is often used in the passive voice or as a participial adjective ('a hogged hull').
From Middle English hog, from Old English hogg, hocg (“hog”), possibly from Old Norse hǫggva (“to strike, chop, cut”), from Proto-Germanic hawwaną (“to hew, forge”), from Proto-Indo-European kewh₂- (“to beat, hew, forge”). Cognate with Old High German houwan, Old Saxon hauwan, Old English hēawan (English hew). Hog originally meant a castrated male pig, hence a sense of “the cut one”. (Compare hogget for a castrated male sheep.) More at hew. Alternatively from a Brythonic language, from Proto-Celtic sukkos, from Proto-Indo-European suH- and thus cognate with Welsh hwch (“sow”) and Cornish hogh (“pig”).
Clipping of quahog.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.