🤒 Sick As a Dog: Woeful Whimsies from Yesteryears 🐶
Definition:
sick as a dog, to be - To feel very ill, particularly to feel nauseated. Despite being touted as man’s best friend, dogs are often maligned. This proverbial simile dates from the sixteenth century or earlier and is still current. Occasionally it has appeared with “sick” meaning “tired of,” as by David Garrick (Neck or Nothing, 1766, 1:1): “I am sick as a dog of being a valet.”
Similar Terms and Idioms:
- Under the weather 🌧️ - Feeling unwell.
- As pale as a ghost 👻 - Looking very pale, usually due to illness.
- Look/feel like death warmed up ☠️ - Appearing or feeling very ill or tired.
- Green around the gills 🐟 - Looking sickly, especially seasick.
- On one’s last legs 🦵💀 - Very weak or in very bad condition, near collapse.
Synonyms:
- Unwell
- Ill
- Queasy
- Nauseated
- Feeble
Antonyms:
- Healthy
- Robust
- Well
- Vigorous
- Fit
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Feeling as sick as a dog is when you realize the dog lives better than you.” - A.W. Fullogue
- “I’m sick as a dog! Perhaps it’s time to switch from dog chow to ginger tea.” - Jeannette D. Barkerton
Proverbs:
- “A sick man is a lopsided warrior.” (Old Proverb)
- “No one is wise enough to enjoy a stomach ache.”
Literary and Cinematic References:
- Book: “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy: An intense novel portraying stark survival that leaves you feeling… yes, quite ill.
- Movie: “The Fault in Our Stars” - A heartfelt story that showcases the depths of sickness and the strength of young love.
- Song: “Help!” by The Beatles 🎶 - When you’re feeling down and sick, sometimes you just need some help.
- Poetry: “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore - Even jolly St. Nick can find himself HHHAAchooing!
Quiz Time! 📝
### Which idiom means to feel very ill?
- [x] Sick as a dog
- [ ] Singing like a lark
- [ ] Dancing on daisies
- [ ] Jumping with joy
> **Explanation:** "Sick as a dog" is the idiom meaning to feel very ill. The others? Purely delightful but entirely incorrect.
### Which phrase refers to looking sickly but specifically seasick?
- [ ] As fit as a fiddle
- [ ] Walking on air
- [x] Green around the gills
- [ ] Healthy as a horse
> **Explanation:** "Green around the gills" means looking sickly, especially due to seasickness. Not a seasick-free zone.
### True or False: "Under the weather" means feeling exuberant.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** "Under the weather" actually means feeling unwell, not the exuberant jubilation one might wish for.
Fair winds 🍃 and sail through calm seas, dear reader! For further sagas on quirky idioms and expressions, always turn the page with curiosity.✔
