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black dog. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
black dog, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
black dog in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
black dog you have here. The definition of the word
black dog will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
black dog, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
A personification, attested from 1826. Popularized by Winston Churchill, although it is not clear if he specifically referred to mental health.
Noun
the black dog
- (euphemistic) depression, melancholy
1967, Robert Bly, “Melancholia”, in The Light Around the Body:A light seen suddenly in the storm, snow / Coming from all sides, like flakes / Of sleep, and myself / On the road to the dark barn, / Halfway there, a black dog near me
1998, “Black Dog On My Shoulder”, in This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, performed by Manic Street Preachers:There's a black dog on my shoulder again / I'm playing with it but it's gone to my head
2014, “They Told Me It Rained”, in Carry On the Grudge, performed by Jamie T:I can't breathe, feed the black dog / Refuse to breathe, refuse to fuck
2018, Kate Atkinson, Transcription, →ISBN, page 111:Apologies, Miss Armstrong, the black dog has got me in its teeth.
2020, “Black Dog”, in AP1, performed by Arlo Parks:I take a jump off the fire escape / To make the black dog go away
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, dog.
See also
References
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “black”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- ^ Anita Singh (2018 October 6) “Churchill's 'black dog' is a myth and he never suffered depression, says leading historian”, in The Telegraph
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