| Idiom | Sick as a Dog |
|---|---|
| Example | Janine can't come to class today. She's as sick as a dog. |
| Meaning | very sick; suffering miserably without an ailment |
| Origin | This popular simile dates from the 1500s or even earlier. Dogs are among the most popular animals in the world of idioms. Think of "a dog's life," "going to the dogs," "in the doghouse," "let sleeping dogs lie," "raining cats and dogs," "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," and so on. Since a dog is a common household pet that often eats things it shouldn't and gets sick, it's a natural choice for this idiom. |
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