Search
Select the dictionary language
in the dog house
01
in a situation in which someone is very upset or angry with one for having or not having done something
What is the origin of the idiom "in the dog house" and when to use it?
The idiom "in the dog house" is thought to have originated in the 19th century, when sailors would sleep in small huts on the deck of a ship. These huts were often called "dog houses" because they were cramped and uncomfortable. If a sailor was punished, he would be made to sleep in the dog house, which was seen as a humiliating experience. Over time, this expression came to be used more generally to describe someone who is in trouble or out of favor with someone else.
Examples
I'm in the dog house with my wife because I forgot our anniversary.
The employee was in the dog house with his boss after he made a mistake on a project.



























