- Meaning
- This idiom refers to curing a hangover by drinking more alcohol, based on the folk belief that a small dose of the cause can remedy its effects. It is often used literally for drinking but can metaphorically describe addressing a problem with more of the same behavior. The phrase is used in social, health, or humorous contexts, carrying a wry or self-deprecating tone, reflecting cultural attitudes toward indulgence and questionable remedies. It underscores the human tendency to seek quick fixes, often with a nod to the irony of such solutions.
- Origin
- The phrase originates from a 16th-century English folk remedy, where a dog bite was supposedly treated by applying the dog’s hair to the wound, based on sympathetic magic. John Heywood’s 1546 *Proverbs* recorded: ‘Take the hair of the dog that bit you.’ The modern use for hangovers appeared by the 17th century, with Samuel Pepys’ 1661 diary noting a ‘hair of the dog’ for drinking. It gained traction in 19th-century Britain, as seen in Charles Dickens’ *Pickwick Papers* (1837), and spread to American English during the temperance era. The phrase’s quirky imagery and relevance to drinking culture ensured its enduring use, especially in pub and literary contexts.
- Variants
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- Hair of the dog
- Hair of the dog that bit you
- A hair of the dog
- Take the hair of the dog
- Examples
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- He had a hair of the dog, sipping a beer to ease his hangover.
- Hair of the dog that bit you—have a shot, and you’ll feel better.
- A hair of the dog might help, but water’s probably a better cure.
- Take the hair of the dog; a Bloody Mary will fix that headache.
- Metaphorically, they used a hair of the dog, doubling down on risky investments to recover losses.
- She swore by the hair of the dog, starting the party with a mimosa.
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