pig
pig [pig pigs pigged pigging] noun, verb BrE [pɪɡ] NAmE [pɪɡ] noun 1. (also hog especially in NAmE)an animal with pink, black or brown skin, short legs, a broad nose and a short tail which curls round itself. Pigs are kept on farms for their meat (called ↑pork) or live in the wild •a pig farmer • Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. see also ↑boar, ↑piglet, ↑sow, ↑swine, ↑guinea pig 2. (informal, disapproving)an unpleasant or offensive person; a person who is dirty or ↑greedy • Arrogant pig! •Don't be such a pig! •The greedy pig's eaten all the biscuits! •She made a pig of herself with the ice cream (= ate too much). •He's a real male chauvinist pig (= a man who does not think women are equal to men). 3. (slang)an offensive word for a police officer Word Origin: Middle English: probably from the first element of Old English picbrēd ‘acorn’, literally ‘pig bread’ (i.e. food for pigs). Example Bank: •The pigs were being fattened for slaughter. •We cooked up a load of pasta and all made pigs of ourselves. •He's a real male chauvinist pig. Idioms: ↑make a pig's ear of something ▪ pig in a poke ▪ ↑pig of a something ▪ ↑pigs might fly Derived: ↑pig out verb (-gg-)(BrE, informal) to eat too much of sth •~ sth I had a whole box of chocolates and pigged the lot! •~ yourself (on sth) Don't give me cakes— I'll just pig myself. Verb forms: Word Origin: Middle English: probably from the first element of Old English picbrēd ‘acorn’, literally ‘pig bread’ (i.e. food for pigs). See also: ↑hog ▪ ↑when pigs fly
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