Dogship
noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 The character or individuality of a dog. countable, uncountable
"True, Shalto was a remarkable dog, and his master was fully aware of his many excellencies, for after a companionhip of twelve years, Shalto died, leaving so deep an impression behind him that he was celebrated in verse, and his friend would never hazard a second dog. Now this is what I call the true sentiment in dogship."
- 2 An experimental model of an aircraft. informal
"It is now planned to have complete drawing release for the pilot production AMCS units before the first missile is fired from any aircraft. (Initial firings will be from an A3 dogship)."
- 3 A dog, especially when referred to formally. countable, uncountable
"As to that other tolerably large section of irreligionists, who are ever disposed to pick a quarrel with their opponents, but never disposed to fight with them—they are well rebuked by the fabulist, who tells us that once, no matter when, a pugnacious duck was revelling in a pond, whereupon a dog coming to take a drink, she wished to prevent his dogship slaking his thirst, but at the same time was far from willing to come to blows; seeing which, the latter exclaimed, "Ah, Madam Duck, those who have neither strength nor courage to fight, should at least be civil.""
- 4 A term of opprobrium. countable, uncountable
"Not mine hand, Surely; but say my foot should strike a liar, the blow should do his dogship honour; yea, Were all high titles guilt about his head, Scarce were he worthy to be spurned of me."
- 5 The leader of a war party. countable, uncountable
"Plain was it that to his dogship's way of thinking it was a very bungling fashion of doing business, thus to suffer this red barbarian to pass from under their hands, untouched by tomahawk or tooth— betraying, as it did, a weakness of feeling altogether unbeseeming warriors of the first blood like themselves."
Example
More examples"True, Shalto was a remarkable dog, and his master was fully aware of his many excellencies, for after a companionhip of twelve years, Shalto died, leaving so deep an impression behind him that he was celebrated in verse, and his friend would never hazard a second dog. Now this is what I call the true sentiment in dogship."
Etymology
From dog + -ship.
From dog + ship.
More for "dogship"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.