What is an idiom? An idiom is a phrase or expression. They are tricky to understand as their meanings do not directly relate to the individual words used in the phrase.

Definition:

The English idiom "dog-eared" refers to the folded corners of a book's pages. This is used as a bookmark to mark a specific place. It can also describe something that is worn out or used, especially when it looks old or damaged from frequent use.

Origin:

The phrase comes from the idea that when the corner of a page is folded, it looks like the floppy ear of a dog. This practice of folding pages goes back hundreds of years, and over time, "dog-eared" came to describe books that show signs of wear because they’ve been read many times.

Examples:

Today the idiom is used in different everyday situations to express worn out or used.

Here are examples of how the idiom can be used in sentences:

Reading context:

"Her favorite novel was so dog-eared from years of reading that it looked like it had been read a hundred times."

"I borrowed the book from him, and it was so dog-eared I could tell he had read it many times."

Education context:

"My textbooks were dog-eared by the end of the course from all the studying."

"His notebook was dog-eared, showing how much he used it for taking notes during class."

Social context:

"My mother’s recipe book is dog-eared, a sign that she has used for many years."

"The art book on the coffee table was dog-eared, with pages bent from being looked through over and over."

"This page is dog-eared"

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