prairie dogとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源 1

prairie + dog (from their yelping alarm calls)

名詞

Prairie dogs

prairie dog (複数形 prairie dogs)

1. Any of genus Cynomys, small, stout-bodied burrowing rodents with shallow cheek pouches, native to North America and Central America.

下位語

• (Cynomys): Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni), white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus), black-tailed prairie dog, (Cynomys ludovicianus), Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus), Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens)

Further reading

• prairie dog on Wikipedia.
• Cynomys on Wikispecies.
• Cynomys on Wikimedia Commons.
• prairie dog in Mammal Species of the World^[1] at Bucknell.

語源 2

By analogy with how the animal pops its head up from its burrow.

別の表記

• prairie-dog

動詞

prairie dog (三人称単数 現在形 prairie dogs, 現在分詞 prairie dogging, 過去形および過去分詞形 prairie dogged)

1. (intransitive, transitive) To pop up from a hole or similar in a manner that resembles the way a prairie dog pops his head up from his burrow.
   • 2017, Kory Stamper, Word By Word, Vintage 2018, p. 11:

     People prairie-dog over the tops of their cubicles and call to their co-workers: “Hey, you going for a walk at lunch today?”

2. (slang, euphemistic) To struggle to hold back an involuntary bowel movement.
   • 2001, Andy Breckman, Rat Race

     [Kimberly needs to go to the bathroom] Dad, I'm prairie dogging it! What the hell does that mean? You know, like when a prairie dog sticks his head in and out of the ground.

   • 2008, Clautrier, Adrien; Rowe, Henry; Mack, Lindsay, Dirty French: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!"‎^[2], Berkeley: Ulysses Press, →ISBN, LCCN 2007907739, page 54:

     I'm about to crap my pants.
     Je vais me faire au froc.
     I'm prairie-dogging it.
     J'ai le cigare au bout des lèvres.
     Literally, “the cigar is at the edge of my lips”

   • 2009, Baker, Brian J., Yuck! ...That Guy Didn't Wash His Hands!: The Complete Guide to the American Man's Bathroom Experience‎^[3], American Bathroom Experience, →ISBN, page 150:

     […] Postin' Up On the Blaster / Power Dump / Prairie-Dogging it / Press a Loaf Purp […]

   • 2011, Rivera, David, Jr., Harlem's Dragon: The Love You Can't Fight‎^[4], Largo: Strebo Books, →ISBN, page 162:

     “Oh, God stop, stop,” Kat said, holding her side, “I'm starting to prairie dog.” […] “You know, prairie dogging,” Kat said, trying to explain between breaths. “When it pokes its head out of the hole and then back in, out and in, out and in.”

   • 2011, Various, David Mack, James Robinson, Ty Templeton, Alan Moore, Jeph Loeb, Kurt Busiek, Vampirella Masters Series 4: The Lost Tales

     ...They are gonna get a mouthful and a pantful. Crappin their shorts all the way into next week... Yeah those little bastards will be prairie dogging it all the way home!