What Does “Every Dog Has His Day” Mean? How To Use It

We’ve all heard the phrase “Every dog has his day” said at one time or another. Most of us don’t truly know what it means though.

Simply put the phrase “Every dog has his day” means that everyone will eventually have good luck or success at some point in their lives. In other words, just because you’re having bad luck right now doesn’t mean that you’ll always have bad luck. No, there will be a time when you have good luck.

Origin of the Phrase

The phrase “every dog has its day” is over 450 years old. It was popularized in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” which was written in the early 1600s. Herein there was a bitter exchange of enmity and a brief brawl that occurred between Hamlet and Laertes beside Ophelia’s grave.

At the time of the exchange, Laertes is already upset because both his father and his sister are dead and Ophelia was given “maimed rites” because she’d committed suicide. The King and Queen’s office had forced the church to bury her on the holy ground though. This led Laertes to go off on a rant about how his sister will be an angel.

As Laertes is in his rant Hamlet shows up. Initially, he witnessed the funeral but didn’t know whose funeral it was right away. At this point, he may have had some feelings of guilt for the misfortune that his revenge had brought his way. He himself then gives a speech about how much he loved Ophelia and Laertes’ brotherly love doesn’t count for anything.

Of course, the onlookers (which included his mother) strongly disapproved of this – something that makes Hamlet even more furious. This results in Hamlet snarling at Laertes and saying, “Let Hercules himself do what he may, the cat shall mew, and the dog shall have his day.”

What Hamlet meant here is that there isn’t any power that’s mighty enough to abash people who are posturing in sorrow. However, Hamlet doesn’t feel like these people should feel sorrow and that his own sorrow is much worse. In other words, every dog gets to be the big noise at least once in his life whether or not this action is justified.

While this is what popularized the line, there are various forms of it that were used earlier. One of the earliest was in 405 B.C. when the Greek playwright Euripides was mauled to death by a pack of dogs that one of his rivals loosed upon him. This is why the saying is oftentimes used to mean that even the lowliest person will eventually get revenge upon their oppressor regardless of how powerful the oppressor may be.

The id was also recorded by the Greek biographer Plutarch in “Moralia” which was written in 95 A.D. Here he says that “Even a dog gets his revenge.” Centuries later Richard Taverner wrote the first English version in his proverbs. However, the most modern form was written in “A collection of English Proverbs by John Ray.

Some of the other famous places where you can find this proverb include:

• The line can be found in the “Odes of Condolence.”
• In 1562 it was included in a collection of proverbs and epigrams that was written by the English dramatist and epigrammist John Heywood.
• Soon after having appeared in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in 1602 it also appeared in “Don Quixote” by Cervantes.
• In 1897 George Bernard Shaw used it in “Caesar and Cleopatra,” Act III.
• In 1550 Queen Elizabeth penned this proverb as she worked with Strype to pen “Ecclesiastical Memorials.”
• Carlyle used this proverb in his writing of “The French Revolution.”

In the modern era, it’s been used by John McLaughlin who said: “every dogma has its day.” This was said as he was commenting on the Republicans’ return.

Meaning of the Phrase and How it’s Used

In the mid-1500s dogs held a lowly status in society. This is something that this phrase alludes to. As it refers to this low status it also points out that even though you may hold such status you’ll eventually come to the forefront. In other words, everyone is bound to be successful or get lucky at some point in their life. This is why this phrase has occasionally been used to encourage people who aren’t having any success or luck.

With these things in mind, one definition of this proverb is: Everyone, regardless of whether they may have low social status, will eventually have a moment of glory or they’ll eventually get an opportunity to have some revenge. For instance, you could say, “Although I’ve waited a very long time to become successful, every dog has its day.”

Sometimes the pronoun “its” will be changed to “his.” So, while the original proverb is that “every dog has its day” sometimes you’ll hear that “every dog has his day.” The emphasis still remains the same that everyone will eventually be successful at something, at some point in their lives. Of course, you can also use this saying to refer to revenge. Either way, everyone will eventually be able to push their weight around and enjoy a time of ostentation, power, or influence. This is why some people will use this saying to encourage a person who’s going through a rough time in their life when they’re simply not having any success or luck or when they feel like someone has managed to get the best of them.

How to Use this Phrase

The expression “every dog has its day” is an idiom. An idiom is a phrase or expression that presents you with a figurative, non-literal meaning that’s attached to the phrase itself. It is possible for a phrase to become figurative though. For this to happen they must retain their literal meaning. It’s important to note that literal and figurative meanings are different here.

As we noted earlier, “every dog has its day” means that everyone will eventually enjoy a time of success. Here we see that this expression isn’t to be taken literally. Instead, it can be classified as figurative language. What this means is that the words in this phrase are used in either an unusual or an imaginative way. By using the words in this way an author is able to add some dynamism to characters. This helps to bring otherwise stale writing alive.

Idioms are also used to:

• Express complex ideas in a simple way
• Establish a viewpoint.
• Add some humor to your writing
• Keep your reader stimulated

You shouldn’t use idioms in formal writing though because there is no literal truth to the expression. It’s also quite possible for an idiom to be easily misunderstood. This is especially true since idioms can vary by location and generation. However, if you’re writing fiction, this can be a great way in which to give your characters’ voices some personality. You just need to make sure that you use the idiom appropriately so your characters really do sound authentic.

When it comes to communication idioms are an integral part. Here you can think of them as a type of grammatical trivia that’s similar to using sarcasm only on a much deeper level. They can be used to help others see how complex our minds are as they demonstrate that we’re not merely operating on a logical and literal basis.

Speech is artistic. It’s something that helps bond people who are from the same culture because some idioms are only truly understood by these cultures. Sometimes idioms are found in various cultures and can serve as an overarching bond here as well. When this happens language is no longer just a way of exchanging information, it’s something that unites us.

Examples of How to Use the Phrase

Understanding what this idiom means and how it’s used is great but you may need some sentences to help you fully understand how it’s used. Here are a few examples:

• He shrugged off the event saying, “Every dog has its day.”
• When I asked him about my friend’s death he merely replied, “Every dog has its day.”
• To all my friends who have remained true to me throughout the bad times, remember, every dog has its day.
• Every dog has its day and today just happened to be my day.
• Recently even Britney had become a popular actress. This just goes to show that every dog has its day.
• While you may be going through a valley right now, don’t lose hope. Instead, try to remind yourself that every dog has its day.
• I’ve been going through so much lately that while every dog has its day mine seems so far away.
• When you think about it, every dog has its day. We just need to wait for that day.

More English Idioms

• Go Cold Turkey
• Midas Touch
• Bread And Butter

Conclusion

After going over the origin and meaning of this idiomatic expression is safe to say, that the meaning of it is quite true. Regardless of what happens, we all have an opportunity to shine, and when the time comes to use this idiom you will do so with confidence.