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Dog In The Manger for Dummies

noun


What does Dog In The Manger really mean?

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Hey there, so the phrase "dog in the manger" is a bit of a funny one. It comes from an old fable about a dog who lays in a manger full of hay, and won't let the other animals eat from it, even though he doesn't actually want the hay himself.

So when someone says that someone is a "dog in the manger," what they mean is that the person is being selfish and keeping something for themselves, even though they don't really want or need it. It's like if you had a toy that you never play with, but you wouldn't let your friend borrow it, just because you didn't want anyone else to have it.

It's sort of like being possessive for no real reason, and not sharing something when you could easily do so. So, when you hear someone saying "dog in the manger," remember the story of the dog and the manger, and think about why it's important to be generous and considerate of others.

Revised and Fact checked by Sarah Thompson on 2023-12-14 15:13:54

Dog In The Manger In a sentece

Learn how to use Dog In The Manger inside a sentece

  • When someone is being selfish and not letting others use something that they don't even want, we can say they are acting like a 'dog in the manger'.
  • If you have a toy that you don't want to play with, but you won't let anyone else play with it either, you are being a 'dog in the manger'.
  • Imagine someone refusing to share a book they never plan to read just because they don't want anyone else to enjoy it either. That's like being a 'dog in the manger'.
  • If a person is keeping a seat on the bus or the train and they don't even need it, just to stop someone else from sitting there, they are acting like a 'dog in the manger'.
  • When someone is hoarding all the snacks at a party but not actually eating them, they are behaving like a 'dog in the manger'.

Dog In The Manger Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.