English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Dog days
Meaning
The idiom "dog days" refers to a period of time when the weather is hot and humid, often accompanied by intense physical labor or other strenuous activities. It can also refer to a difficult or challenging time in life, where hard work and perseverance are required to overcome obstacles.
Usage
- The farm workers endured the dog days of summer, working long hours in the blazing sun to harvest the crops.
- I had to push through the dog days of my project when I was struggling with a difficult problem.
- When I started my training, I felt like I was in the dog days of my fitness journey and didn't know if I would ever see any progress.
- The heatwave during the summer months can feel like the dog days of the year, making it hard to stay motivated and focused on work or school.
- The city experiences its fair share of dog days in August when the temperatures soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roots and History
The term "dog days" originated from an ancient belief that the star Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, was responsible for the hot weather during the summer months. The phrase "dog days" likely emerged around the 16th century in England, when farmers began to use it to describe the long, hot periods of time leading up to the harvest season. Over time, the idiom's meaning has expanded beyond its original reference to the weather and now encompasses any difficult or challenging period of time that requires hard work and perseverance.
Synonyms in English
- The heatwave during the summer months can feel like the dog days of the year.
- When I started my training, I felt like I was in the crucible of my fitness journey.
- I had to push through the endurance test, which felt like a marathon during the dog days of my project.
Synonyms in other languages
- 努力的时期 (nǔ lǐ de shí qí) - Chinese for "a period of hard work"
- 艰苦的时期 (jùn jū de shí qí) - Chinese for "a difficult period"
- 熱情的時期 (yáng qìng de shí qí) - Chinese for "a time of passion"