Word.ws English Dictionary

it's the hit dog that howls

it's the hit dog that howls proverb: if somebody is ranting or complaining about something, they were probably hurt by it.

Proverb

it's the hit dog that howls

  1. (US) If somebody is ranting or complaining about something, they were probably hurt by it.

Forms of it's the hit dog that howls

alternative formit is always the hit dog that howls
alternative formit is the hit dog that howls

Questions about it's the hit dog that howls

What does it's the hit dog that howls mean?
It's the hit dog that howls means if somebody is ranting or complaining about something, they were probably hurt by it.
What part of speech is it's the hit dog that howls?
It's the hit dog that howls is a proverb.

Words near it's the hit dog that howls in the dictionary

  1. it's only a matter of time
  2. it's only a question of time
  3. it's raining
  4. it's snowing
  5. it's someone's funeral
  6. it's the hit dog that howls
  7. it's the thought that counts
  8. it's the truth, Ruth
  9. it's too expensive
  10. it's too late for sorry
  11. it's what's inside that counts

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: it's the hit dog that howls (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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