junkyard

(as) mean as a junkyard dog

Exceptionally cruel, spiteful, malicious, or violent. Her dad is usually a pretty nice, chilled out guy, but he gets as mean a junkyard dog when he's been drinking. Don't go messing with that guy! He's mean as a junkyard dog—he'll rip your head off just for looking at him funny! You'll never make it in this business—you have to be mean as a junkyard dog to get ahead.

See also: dog, junkyard, mean

junkyard dog

An especially nasty, vicious, or savage person or animal (especially a dog). Of a person, often used in the phrase "meaner than a junkyard dog." Though he's always polite when he's in public, Tiffany's husband is meaner than a junkyard dog behind closed doors. That standard poodle may look cute and fluffy, but it's a junkyard dog, you can be sure about that.

See also: dog, junkyard

meaner than a junkyard dog

Exceptionally cruel, spiteful, malicious, or violent. Her dad is usually a pretty nice, chilled out guy, but he gets meaner than a junkyard dog when he's been drinking. Don't go messing with that guy! He's meaner than a junkyard dog—he'll rip your head off just for looking at him funny!

See also: dog, junkyard

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

meaner than a junkyard dog (with fourteen sucking pups)

Rur. cruel; eager to fight. Don't mess with her. She's meaner than a junkyard dog with fourteen sucking pups. They say Jim's meaner than a junkyard dog, but really, he's a sweetheart.

See also: dog, junkyard

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.