- Meaning
- This idiom describes someone who selfishly prevents others from using or enjoying something they themselves cannot use, like a dog lying in a manger, blocking livestock from eating hay it cannot consume. It conveys pettiness or spite, often used in social, workplace, or personal contexts to critique selfish behavior. The phrase carries a tone of scorn, irony, or moral judgment, reflecting cultural values of fairness and the human tendency to hoard or obstruct. Its animal imagery evokes a vivid, petty act, resonating in scenarios like resource disputes or jealousy. The idiom condemns selfishness, making it a sharp metaphor for obstructive behavior.
- Origin
- The phrase originated in ancient Greece, from Aesop’s fable *The Dog in the Manger* (6th century BC), where a dog blocks oxen from hay. Its English use emerged in the 16th century, with John Lydgate’s *Troy Book* (1420) referencing the fable. The idiom gained traction in 17th-century Britain, notably in Francis Bacon’s essays (1625), and spread through moral literature, with Charles Dickens’ *Bleak House* (1853) using it for selfish characters. Its adoption across English-speaking cultures stems from the fable’s universal lesson and vivid imagery, enduring in critiques of selfishness.
- Variants
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- Dog in the manger attitude
- Like a dog in the manger
- Manger dog
- Examples
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- He’s a dog in the manger, hoarding the equipment nobody else can use.
- Like a dog in the manger, she refused to share the office space she wasn’t using.
- His dog in the manger attitude stopped the team from accessing the files.
- Don’t be a manger dog, let others use the resources you’re not touching.
- She acted like a dog in the manger, blocking the promotion she didn’t want.
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