English Explanatory Dictionary

hair of the dog

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An alcoholic drink, particularly when taken the morning after to cure a hangover.

Pronunciation

en-au-hair of the dog.ogg

Word forms

hair of the dog

Etymology

Ellipsis of hair of the dog that bit one, a folk remedy for rabies by placing hair from the dog that bites one into the wound. The use of the phrase as a metaphor for a hangover treatment dates at least to the 16ᵗʰ century. The principle of “curing like with like” has existed in various cultures historically; see hair of the dog at Wikipedia for details; the use of the phrase “hair of the dog” for a hangover cure dates to antiquity, an early form being found in the Ugaritic text KTU 1.1114 line 29, where the chief god of the pantheon, i/el, takes some for his health. The usage is in turn a borrowing from Akkadian.A Primer on Ugaritic, p. 121. Cambridge University Press, 2007. →ISBN.

Synonyms

coffin dodger corpse reviver pick-me-up eye-opener adult beverage alcohol bevvy booze carouse drink fuddling grog hard drink libation liquor lush nightcap potation potent potable sauce shot strong drink strong water tiddly tincture tipple

Related words

doghair dog fur dogfur pelt of the dog a man about a dog
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