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pig
1[ pig ]
noun
- a young swine of either sex, especially a domestic hog, Sus scrofa, typically weighing less than 300 pounds (136 kilograms).
- any wild or domestic swine in the genus Sus, within the family Suidae Old World pigs.
- the flesh of swine; pork.
- Informal. a person of piggish character, behavior, or habits, as one who is gluttonous, very fat, greedy, selfish, or filthy.
- Slang: Disparaging. a police officer.
- Slang. an extremely rude, ill-mannered person, especially one who is sexist or racist.
- Slang. an immoral woman, especially a prostitute.
- Machinery. any tool or device, as a long-handled brush or scraper, used to clear the interior of a pipe or duct.
- Metallurgy.
- an oblong mass of metal that has been run while still molten into a mold of sand or the like, especially such a mass of iron from a blast furnace.
- one of the molds for such masses of metal.
- metal in the form of such masses.
verb (used with object)
- Metallurgy. to mold (metal) into oblong masses.
- Informal. to eat (something) quickly; gulp:
He pigged three doughnuts and ran off to school.
verb (used without object)
- to bring forth pigs; farrow.
verb phrase
- Slang. to overindulge in eating:
We pigged out on pizza last night.
pig
2[ pig ]
noun
- an earthenware crock, pot, pitcher, or jar.
- potter's clay; earthenware as a material.
pig
/ pɪɡ /
noun
- any artiodactyl mammal of the African and Eurasian family Suidae, esp Sus scrofa ( domestic pig ), typically having a long head with a movable snout, a thick bristle-covered skin, and, in wild species, long curved tusks
- a domesticated pig weighing more than 120 pounds (54 kg) porcine
- informal.a dirty, greedy, or bad-mannered person
- the meat of swine; pork
- derogatory.a slang word for policeman
- a mass of metal, such as iron, copper, or lead, cast into a simple shape for ease of storing or transportation
- a mould in which such a mass of metal is formed
- informal.something that is difficult or unpleasant
- an automated device propelled through a duct or pipeline to clear impediments or check for faults, leaks, etc
- a pig in a pokesomething bought or received without prior sight or knowledge
- make a pig of oneself informal.to overindulge oneself
- on the pig's backsuccessful; established
he's on the pig's back now
verb
- intr (of a sow) to give birth
- informal.Alsopig it intr to live in squalor
- informal.tr to devour (food) greedily
Word History and Origins
Origin of pig1
Origin of pig2
Word History and Origins
Origin of pig1
Idioms and Phrases
- on the pig's back, Australian Slang. in a fortunate position.
- pig it,
- to live like a pig, especially in dirt.
- to lead a disorganized, makeshift life; live without plan or pattern.
More idioms and phrases containing pig
- in a pig's eye
- like pigs in clover
- make a pig of oneself
- when pigs fly
Example Sentences
The meat companies’ employees, many of them immigrants and refugees, slice pig bellies or cut up chicken carcasses in close quarters.
Growing up on a farm in an Amish part of rural Pennsylvania, he woke up before dawn to care for pigs and cows.
It’s a painting of a warty pig, an animal still found on Sulawesi, that was rendered on the cave’s back wall at least 45,500 years ago, researchers report January 13 in Science Advances.
I talked to a woman who nursed an injured baby pig back to health.
I’m also guessing most people haven’t found themselves sitting in the back seat of a car, in charge of making sure a massive raw pig didn’t roll onto the floor.
He has said he believes Al Sharpton is a “race pimp” and a pig.
Elle magazine shot an editorial in September, one picture revealing a teacup pig sitting pretty by a mini Tyler Alexandra bag.
Unfortunately, neither of our teams had pinpointed the pig's burial site.
Bats that had once lived deep in the forest were now eking out a living on mango trees and near pig farms.
In 2014, it appears, the key to winning in a swing state is to avoid talking about issues and emphasize pig castration.
Squinty could look out, but the slats were as close together as those in a chicken coop, and the little pig could not get out.
"I don't know whether I am going to like this or not--this coming to live in town," thought the little pig.
The pig family did not know when Squinty would be taken away from them, and all they could do was to wait.
Several times after this the boy and his sisters came to look down into the pig pen.
But just wishing never made anyone larger or taller, not even a pig, and Squinty stayed the same size.
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More About Pig
Where does pig come from?
Let’s start with a little swine quiz: what’s the difference between a pig and a hog? In the barnyard, a pig is a young domestic hog. Generally speaking, a pig weighs less than 120 pounds, the hog is much heavier.
Like the word dog, forms of the word pig and hog are found in Old English, however their ultimate origin is obscure. Etymologists think that final –g in dog, pig, and hog are related, though.
Discover more everyday words with unknown roots in our slideshow, “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From.”
Why do we raise pigs but eat pork? Same goes for cow vs. beef. It is because of the influence of French (and its higher social status) in Middle English. Via French, pork comes from the Latin porcus, “pig, hog.”
Now that you know how pigs got their name, why not find out how some of our other most beloved pets got theirs in the slideshow: “Where Do The Words For Our Pets Come From?”
Did you know … ?
Wild pigs were first domesticated in Asia about 7,000—9,000 years ago. The Chinese, it’s widely believed, actually ate an ancient form of bacon as early as 1500 b.c. Today, pork is the most consumed meat protein in the world, despite the eating of pork being considered taboo in several major cultures and religions.
For all their intelligence, pig has gotten a bad rap when it comes to its applications in the English language. Thanks to the animal’s mud-wallowing and eating habits, metaphorical uses of the word pig have negative connotations, commonly used to insult a person as dirty, fat, greedy, gluttonous, or objectionable in other ways (e.g., sexist pig). The word pig has also been used to disparage police officers and sex workers.
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.
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