poodle
[pood-l]
- one of a breed of very active dogs, probably originating in Germany but regarded as the national dog of France, having long, thick, frizzy or curly hair usually trimmed in standard patterns, occurring in three varieties (standard, miniature, and toy) differing only in size, and originally used as a water retriever.
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Origin of poodle
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for poodle
Contemporary Examples
And then there is Marissa; Annabelle says Marissa is like a poodle, “probably pink.”
Darren Criss of Glee guest stars in the video as the angry bulldog boyfriend of the poodle.
From Katy Perry to Alice in Chains, the Best Music Videos of the WeekVictoria Kezra
September 7, 2013
“I am as far from a harasser as you could be,” she said in a phone call from her home, as her poodle mix barked in the background.
While Steinbeck journeyed with his loyal French poodle, Buzzell has only a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente as a companion.
He insisted that far from being America's poodle on this, he was an enthusiastic collaborator with Mr. Bush.
Historical Examples
Mrs. Ranny asked with an enthusiasm hitherto reserved for her poodle.
QuinAlice Hegan Rice
This trainer of bull-dogs was the submissive slave of a poodle.
Ten TalesFranois Coppe
The poodle remained with him a day or two, and then made his escape.
Minnie's Pet DogMadeline Leslie
Nor is this a solitary instance of the extraordinary sagacity of the poodle.
Anecdotes of DogsEdward Jesse
The sagacity of the poodle is strongly shown by the following fact.
Anecdotes of DogsEdward Jesse
poodle
- a breed of dog, with varieties of different sizes, having curly hair, which is often clipped from ribs to tail for showing: originally bred to hunt waterfowl
- a person who is servile; lackey
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Word Origin
C19: from German Pudel, short for Pudelhund, from pudeln to splash + Hund dog; the dogs were formerly trained as water dogs; see puddle, hound 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for poodle
n.
1808, from German Pudel, shortened form of Pudelhund "water dog," from Low German Pudel "puddle" (cf. pudeln "to splash;" see puddle (n.)) + German Hund "hound" (see hound (n.)). Probably so called because the dog was used to hunt water fowl. Figurative sense of "lackey" (chiefly British) is attested from 1907. Poodle-faker, British army slang for "ingratiating male," is from 1902, likely euphemistic.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper