(as) mean as a junkyard dog

(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

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.