Idiom
dog's dinner
Meanings
A thing or situation that is a complete mess or badly done.
Definition
Something that is very messy, badly organized, or poorly done.
A dog's dinner is something that looks messy or is done in a confused, untidy way. It is often used to criticize work, an appearance, or a situation that lacks order. The phrase is common in British English and is usually informal.
Examples
- My notes are a dog's dinner, so I need to rewrite them.
- The project schedule turned into a dog's dinner after the last-minute changes.
- His presentation was a dog's dinner, with slides out of order and missing information.
- The kitchen was a dog's dinner after the party.
- This spreadsheet is a dog's dinner, so no one can find the totals.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (noun phrase)s
- neck of the woods A “neck of the woods” is a particular area or neighborhood someone comes from or is talking about.
- storm in a teacup A storm in a teacup is a lot of anger or worry about a small, unimportant problem.
- ace up your sleeve A secret advantage or plan you can use when needed.
- big fish in a small pond A big fish in a small pond is a person who is important or very successful in a small group or limi…
- feather in your cap An achievement you can be proud of and that adds to your reputation.