mad-dog
Americanverb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of mad-dog
An Americanism dating back to 1985–90
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Half of the 14 nominees are first-timers, including English punk star Billy Idol, rock and roll pioneer Chubby Checker, and "mad dog with soul" Joe Cocker.
From BBC • Feb. 12, 2025
It was up to Marshall to take that next step, emerge as a defensive leader, build lateral and vertical quickness, and embody the mad dog that Burns said she could.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2025
He’ll be joined by a real mad dog, retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn as President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser.
From Salon • Dec. 22, 2016
“He was,” Mr. Jennings later wrote, “like a mad dog on a leash.”
From New York Times • Dec. 14, 2014
Foaming at the mouth like a mad dog, writhing in the dirt with wild eyes.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
