Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
prairie dog en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From prairie + dog, after their yelping alarm calls.
Meanings
-
Any member of the genus Cynomys, small, stout-bodied burrowing rodents with shallow cheek pouches, native to North America and Central America.
Forms
Hyponyms
Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys) · black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys) · Utah prairie dog (Cynomys) · white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys) · Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys)
Synonyms
sod poodle
Translations (43)
ko 프레리도그 (burrowing rodent) · nhn motohtli (burrowing rodent) · haw kokeiʻa (burrowing rodent) · fi preerikko (burrowing rodent) · de Präriehund (burrowing rodent) · nv dlǫ́ǫ́ʼ (burrowing rodent) · ms anjing prairi (burrowing rodent) · ja プレーリードッグ (burrowing rodent) · sh prerijski pas (burrowing rodent) · pl nieświszczuk (burrowing rodent) · zh 草原犬鼠 (burrowing rodent) · asb bistą́ga (burrowing rodent) · ca gosset de les praderies (burrowing rodent) · fr chienne de prairie (burrowing rodent) · eo cinomuso (burrowing rodent) · et rohtlahaukur (burrowing rodent) · pt cão-dos-prados (burrowing rodent) · apw ę́ʼ (burrowing rodent) · sv präriehund (burrowing rodent) · nci motohtli (burrowing rodent) · lkt pispíza (burrowing rodent) · pao kuubba (burrowing rodent) · it cane della prateria (burrowing rodent) · hu prérikutya (burrowing rodent) · es perrito de las praderas (burrowing rodent) · pl piesek preriowy (burrowing rodent) · crh cercumuran (burrowing rodent) · et preeriakoer (burrowing rodent) · pt cão-da-pradaria (burrowing rodent) · dak pįspį́za (burrowing rodent) · nl prairiehond (burrowing rodent) · paw askuc (burrowing rodent) · cs psoun stepní (burrowing rodent) · zh 草原松鼠 (burrowing rodent) · tr çayır köpeği (burrowing rodent) · sw kijibwanyika (burrowing rodent) · arp coo3oni' (burrowing rodent) · ko 마멋 (burrowing rodent) · ari axkUs (burrowing rodent) · ru лугова́я соба́чка (burrowing rodent) · fi preeriakoira (burrowing rodent) · fr chien de prairie (burrowing rodent) · tew kée (burrowing rodent)
prairie dog en · VERB · etymology 2
Pronunciation
Etymology
By analogy with the animal's unburrowing behavior.
Meanings
-
(ambitransitive, idiomatic) To pop up from a hole or analogous orifice in a manner that resembles the way a prairie dog pops its head up from its burrow.
People prairie-dog over the tops of their cubicles and call to their co-workers: “Hey, you going for a walk at lunch today?”
2017, Kory Stamper, Word By Word, Vintage, published 2018, page 11:Near-synonym: emerge
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(ambitransitive, broadly, euphemistic, idiomatic, slang, vulgar) To struggle to hold back an imminent bowel movement.
“Oh, God stop, stop,” Kat said, holding her side, “I'm starting to prairie dog.” […] “You know, prairie dogging,” Kat said, trying to explain between breaths. “When it pokes its head out of the hole and then back in, out and in, out and in.”
2011, David, Jr. Rivera, Harlem's Dragon: The Love You Can't Fight, Largo: Strebo Books, →ISBN, page 162:Kimberly: [needs to go to the bathroom] Dad, I'm prairie dogging it!
Dad: What the hell does that mean?
Jason: You know, like when a prairie dog sticks his head in and out of the ground.
[…] Dad: Ohh, god, I do not wanna picture that!
2001, Andy Breckman, directed by Jerry Zucker, Rat Race, Jillian Marie (Kimberly Pear), Jon Lovitz (Randy Pear, “Dad”), and Brody Smith (Jason Pear) (actors):[…] Postin' Up On the Blaster / Power Dump / Prairie-Dogging it / Press a Loaf Purp […]
2009, Brian J. Baker, Yuck! ...That Guy Didn't Wash His Hands!: The Complete Guide to the American Man's Bathroom Experience, American Bathroom Experience, →ISBN, page 150:Once these kids come here today trick or treating, they are gonna get a mouthful — and a pant full ^([sic]) — / Crappin ^([sic]) their shorts all the way into next week... teach them to screw with their elders... they’ll be touching cotton / Yeah those little bastards will be prairie dogging it all the way home!
2011, Alan Moore et al., Visionaries (Vampirella Masters Series), volume 4 (graphic novel), Dynamite Entertainment, →ISBN, page 97:I'm about to crap my pants.
Je vais me faire au froc.
I'm prairie-dogging it.
J'ai le cigare au bout des lèvres.
Literally, “the cigar is at the edge of my lips”.
2008, Adrien Clautrier with Rowe, Henry and Mack, Lindsay, Dirty French: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!", Berkeley: Ulysses Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 54:
Forms
Synonyms
turtle head · crown · grow a tail · touch cotton
Translations (2)
fi ponnahtaa (to pop up as if from a hole) · fi ponnahdella (to pop up as if from a hole)