| 释义 |
ˈwatch-dog, n.
a. A dog kept to guard a house, property, etc., and give warning of the approach of intruders.
1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 383 Harke, harke, bowgh wawgh: the watch-Dogges barke, bowgh-wawgh. 1770Goldsm. Des. Vill. 121 The watch-dog's voice that bayed the whispering wind. 1818Byron Juan i. cxxiii, 'Tis sweet to hear the watch-dog's honest bark Bay deep-mouth'd welcome as we draw near home. 1876Bancroft Hist. U.S. III. xv. 235 The baying of a watch-dog alarmed the village. 1894Fenn In Alpine Valley I. 120 The old man is as fierce as a watch-dog.
b. fig. and in fig. context, esp. denoting a commission or other group appointed as a safeguard against abuses by the authorities (in government, foreign policy, etc.), business interests, etc.
1845Maurice Moral Philos. in Encycl. Metrop. II. 595/1 Now we feel the necessity for a set of guardians or watch⁓dogs of the state. 1885Lowell Democr. etc. (1887) 114 Formerly the duty of a librarian was considered too much that of a watch-dog, to keep people as much as possible away from the books. 1910Ld. Rosebery Chatham xvi. 339 The Chancellor acted as his watch-dog in front of the Treasury. 1985Which? Feb. 58/1 Our regular checks over the years (and those of other ‘watchdogs’ such as Trading Standards Officers) have consistently revealed a depressingly low standard of workmanship in garages. 1985Times 31 May 13/7 Although climbing may be the most non-bureaucratic of sports it does need a watchdog guarding its interests.
c. quasi-adj. Characteristic of a watch-dog.
1862Helps Organiz. Daily Life 32 He was not a very skilful person in deciding upon difficult questions; but he had a sort of watch-dog carefulness. 1873[see scrub-woman s.v. scrub v.1 6]. 1947Toronto Daily Tribune 21 Dec. 12/1 [Vishinsky] spoke.., raking the United States for..proposing that the assembly send a semi-permanent UN ‘watchdog’ commission. 1960Daily Tel. 22 Aug. 1/1 He demanded the dispatch to his country of a United Nations watch-dog force. 1969Listener 3 July 5/1 The watchdog function of the press depends..on the effects of publicity on a politician's own colleagues and opponents. 1977Time 30 May 51/2 Last March the International Trade Commission, a six-member watchdog group appointed by the President, recommended an increase in the tariffs on Japanese sets from 5% to 25%. 1984Daily Tel. 9 Oct. 8/2 The Post Office was accused yesterday by its consumer watchdog body of putting profit before service to customers. |