Pronunciation: /ˈhæŋˌdɔɡ/

Definitions of hangdog

noun a person who looks guilty or ashamed

Example Sentences

A1 He walked into the room with a hangdog expression on his face.

A2 The dog's hangdog look made everyone feel sorry for him.

B1 After losing the game, the team walked off the field with hangdog attitudes.

B2 Despite his hangdog appearance, he still managed to crack a smile.

C1 The politician's hangdog demeanor did not inspire confidence in the voters.

C2 She couldn't help but feel sorry for him as he sat there with a hangdog expression.

adjective having a guilty or shamefaced expression

Example Sentences

A1 He had a hangdog expression after spilling his drink on the carpet.

A2 The hangdog look on his face told me he had forgotten our anniversary.

B1 Despite his hangdog appearance, he managed to cheer up the team with his jokes.

B2 She couldn't help but feel sorry for him when she saw his hangdog expression.

C1 The politician's hangdog demeanor did not inspire confidence in his ability to lead.

C2 His hangdog attitude towards his mistakes showed a lack of accountability.

Examples of hangdog in a Sentence

formal The employee approached his boss with a hangdog expression, ready to accept responsibility for the mistake.

informal After losing the game, the player walked off the field with a hangdog look on his face.

slang I could tell by his hangdog demeanor that he had messed up again.

figurative The politician's hangdog attitude did not inspire confidence in his ability to lead.

Grammatical Forms of hangdog

past tense

hungdog

plural

hangdogs

comparative

more hangdog

superlative

most hangdog

present tense

hangdog

future tense

will hangdog

perfect tense

have hangdogged

continuous tense

is hangdogging

singular

hangdog

positive degree

hangdog

infinitive

to hangdog

gerund

hangdogging

participle

hangdogged

Origin and Evolution of hangdog

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'hangdog' originated from the Middle English term 'hangdogge', which was a compound of 'hang' and 'dogge'. It referred to the appearance of a dog with its head hanging low in a submissive or guilty manner.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the term 'hangdog' evolved to describe a person who appears guilty, ashamed, or defeated. It is often used to describe someone who looks downcast or dejected.