hound

an animal – mammal – a general name given to several domestic breeds of dog that are bred to help hunters – by locating the prey (= animals the hunter wishes to shoot/kill) and chasing it; two kinds of hounds: those that depend on their sense of sight, using mostly their eyes to locate the prey – sight hounds; and those that depend on their sense of smell to locate the prey – scent hounds; some are short and sturdy, like the Basset hound and dachshund, and some are large, tall and slim, like the greyhound, Afghan hound; and some have large round heads with blunt muzzle (= mouth and nose part) and drooping ears;

dachshund/sassage dog

but some have long narrow heads and relatively short straight ears; all share the same qualities of good running, stamina, and hunting ability; these days not only used for hunting but also kept as pets; bred world-wide

pharoh hounds

Some popular breeds of hound are: basset hound, pharoh hound, Afghan hound, Ibizan hound, plot hound, Sicilian hound, caravan hound, fox hound, bloodhound, greyhound, saluki, whippet, deerhound

[A group of hounds is called a ‘cry’, ‘mute’ or ‘pack’; and the voice (call) is called ‘bay’.]

Figures of Speech:

1.

hound (noun)  =

(a)  a person who is disliked and thought unpleasant

(b)  a person who wants to know about something and eagerly follows it without giving up easily

2.

to hound (verb)  =  to follow and/or urge somebody; to nag and/or trouble somebody continually

3.

hound-bred  =  (of a person) with long legs

4.

(a)  as clean as a hound’s tooth  =  very clean; very innocent

(b)  as sharp as a hound’s tooth

(c)  as white as a hound’s tooth

5.

a hound is worth whistling for [said to mean that one should not fear or hesitate to ask others for a favour]

6.

like looking for a hound without knowing its colour [said to complain of a job with difficult conditions and/or unclear instuctions]

7.

what is a pound of butter among a kennel of hounds [a complaint about food shortage]

8.

like a hound on the blood-trail [said of a person who is careful, tireless in his/her search for something]

9.

to keep in front of a hound [said of a situation where a person only just manages to avoid a trouble or disaster]

10.

hounds on an island {American usage} [related to food – small, reddish, smoked sausages on a heap of baked beans]

11.

many hounds soon worry one hare  [said to imply that a person with many enemies and/or troubles is soon ruined]
[Return to "greyhound".]

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