Sick as a Dog (and Other Odd Phrases)

Warning: If you are weak of stomach, or if the word etymology fills you with dread, you might want to skip today's post. The title of it will give you an idea of what to expect. You have been warned. (Wuss!)

I've used the term "sick as a dog" a few times over the last several days. Almost everybody has used it, or at least heard it said. But, what exactly does it mean?

Contrary to popular usage, "sick as a dog" does not refer to a simple cold, or the flu. Aches, pains, chills, fevers, coughs, and runny noses have little to do with the origin of this oft-used turn of phrase. It does, however, refer to dogs. More specifically, to the rather unpleasant after effects of a dog eating things which are less than agreeable for their little doggy tummies. Yup, that's right. Dog yak.

In America, we might say we are "sick" to describe a cold or flu, while Brits would say they are "ill". In the United Kingdom, the word "sick" typically refers to vomit. To "be sick" in England would mean "to vomit".

If you know anything about dogs, you know when a dog eats something (and they eat damn near ANYthing) that is not good for them, it comes back out in worse shape than it went down. Usually on your freshly cleaned carpet. Or the middle of the couch. It's never pleasant, and I'm sure the dog doesn't much care for it either. (Though many of them will sniff their recent stench wafting ejecta and eagerly slurp it back up .. only to redeliver their payload to another part of the house).

All that rather uneeded printed visualization brings me to my point ... "sick as a dog" means to vomit like one.

Which is exactly what I've been doing for several days. Except for the lapping it back up part. Mainly because my head won't fit in the toilet. (Kidding! I'm so kidding ... stop looking at me like that!)

Another phrase commonly used to describe someone who is sick (ill, not sick, ill ... didn't I just go over that? sheesh), and one much less disgusting than the above colloquialism, is "under the weather".

Now this one seems pretty straightforward. Or, is it?

Several different attributions to the origination of "under the weather" can be found.

The most commonly accepted origination comes from America around 1827 and refers to how the literal weather can affect one's moods or health. Therefore, with this meaning, "under the weather" simply means climatological effects have influenced your health. Likely this has also helped given rise to the old-wives tales about cold weather and getting sick (I mean ill!).

Another possible origination of the idiom might be derived from an old nautical term "under the weather bow". A weather bow, on a ship, is the side of a ship's bow that is taking the brunt of a storm or other rough seas. If you've ever been on a ship, you may have experienced the up and down, back and forth motion waves cause. You may have even gotten nauseaus from it, or seasick, to be exact. Having a cold or flu can make you feel very similar. You might even become sick as a dog from being under the weather.

A third, less cited, origination is also nautical in derivation. When a sailor was indeed ill, he was kept below decks, or out of the weather. Thus, being under the deck was being under the weather. The phrase may have slipped into common usage by sailors describing someone who was ill (or sick!).

I had more phrases to discuss, but as I'm feeling green around the gills, I think I will retire before I toss my cookies.