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to go to the dogs
01
to deteriorate or decline significantly
![to [go] to the dogs definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/40639/original/?type=jpeg "to [go] to the dogs definition and meaning")
Disapproving
Idiom
InformalWhat is the origin of the idiom "go to the dogs" and when to use it?
The idiom "go to the dogs" has its origins in ancient Greece, where dogs were considered to be unclean animals that roamed the streets. The phrase refers to a situation or thing that is deteriorating or declining, often in a moral or ethical sense. It is often used to describe situations where something that was once good or well-respected is now in a state of disrepair or disrepute.
Example
The city's downtown area is going to the dogs because of the rising crime rate.
If we don't take steps to improve the situation, our economy will go to the dogs.
They have gone to the dogs by neglecting their health and well-being.
The neighborhood went to the dogs when the factories closed and the jobs disappeared.
The company is going to the dogs by losing its market share to competitors.
