dog in the manger
/ˌdɒɡ ɪn ðə ˈmeɪndʒə
/noun
A person who has no need of, or ability to use, a possession that would be of use or value to others, but who prevents others from having it: what a dog in the manger you must be! [as adjective]: she can be so dog in the manger about updating things in the office...
- Still, I suppose you can't prevent progress, and I shouldn't be a dog in the manger.
- No sooner had the Finance Minister announced the decentralisation plan in his latest Budget than the begrudgers in Dublin were adopting a dog-in-the-manger attitude.
- However, the ECB has maintained its dog-in-the-manger stance on inflation currently 0.2% above the official target rate of 0.2%.
Origin
Late 16th century: alluding to the fable of the dog that lay in a manger to prevent the ox and horse from eating the hay.
- combination oven
- combination skin
- combination therapy
- combinative
- combinatorial
- combinatorial chemistry
- combinatorially
- combinatorics
- combinatory
- combine
- combined pill
- combine harvester
- combiner
- combings
- combing wool
- combining form
- comb jelly
- comb-like
- combo
- combo box
- combo drive
- comb-over
- combs
- combust
- combuster