mutt
/mʌt/
Definition
- Noun:
- An inferior dog or one of mixed breed: A "mutt" is a dog that is not a purebred, often a mixture of different breeds. The term can sometimes imply the dog is of low quality or is a mongrel, though it is often used in an affectionate, informal way.
- A foolish or stupid person (slang, derogatory): In informal, often insulting slang, "mutt" can refer to a person who is considered foolish, stupid, or incompetent.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Dog):
- We adopted a lovable mutt from the animal shelter.
- His dog isn't a specific breed; it's just a friendly mutt.
- Noun (Person - slang):
- Don't listen to him; he's a complete mutt when it comes to fixing cars.
- That mutt forgot his own keys again.
Advanced Usage
- "Mutt and Jeff": An idiom referring to a pair of people, especially a tall person and a short person, based on a classic comic strip. It implies an odd or contrasting couple.
- Those two security guards are like Mutt and Jeff, one is huge and the other is tiny.
Variants and Related Words
- Mongrel (n): A more formal or technical synonym for a dog of mixed breed.
- The vet described the puppy as a healthy mongrel.
- Cur (n, archaic/derogatory): An aggressive or inferior dog, often a mongrel.
- The old story described a snarling cur guarding the gate.
Synonyms
- Mixed-breed dog: A neutral term for a dog that is not purebred.
- Crossbreed: A dog whose parents are of two different breeds.
- Fool (for the person sense): A silly or stupid person.
Related Phrases
- Heinz 57 mutt: A humorous phrase for a dog with a very mixed and indeterminate ancestry, referencing the "57 Varieties" slogan of the H.J. Heinz Company.
- Our dog is a real Heinz 57 mutt—we have no idea what breeds are in him.
Related Idioms
- As common as a mutt: Used to describe something or someone that is very ordinary or of no special distinction.
- In this town, a story like that is as common as a mutt.
Noun
-
an inferior dog or one of mixed breed
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