dogship

plural dogships

1. countableuncountableThe character or individuality of a dog.

   Papa dog rounded off the lesson thus: “My children! Try to be good dogs in life. Never deviate from the path of dogship.”

   2019, Aziz Nesin, Laugh or Lament, page 123

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   True, Shalto was a remarkable dog, and his master was fully aware of his many excellencies, for after a companionhip of twelve years, Shalto died, leaving so deep an impression behind him that he was celebrated in verse, and his friend would never hazard a second dog. Now this is what I call the true sentiment in dogship.

   1845, Mrs. E. Oakes Smith, “Doghood”, in The Juvenile Gem For 1846, page 151

   The philosophy of it is this: a snap or two at your hat will suffice to let the steam off—the wrathful passion escapes, and having displayed the courage of his dogship, he is satisfied .

   1861, William Taylor, The Model Preacher, page 219

   Still, however, as an economiic investment he runs considerably more to liabilities than to assets, and if the owner alone sufferedd all the damage done by his animal, no other person would object to his worship's ownership's dogship.

   1917 January, A. H. Bush, “When the Dog Becomes a Nuisance”, in Public Health, volume 5, number 1

2. countableuncountableA dog, especially when referred to formally.

   When the man turned the lantern so that its light shown on his dogship, he perceived that the animal did not move, but kept his large eyes coolly and steadily fixed on him."

   1866 April, Emma C. Barber, “Agnes Dubois”, in The Ladies' Repository, volume 35, number 4, page 215

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   As to that other tolerably large section of irreligionists, who are ever disposed to pick a quarrel with their opponents, but never disposed to fight with them—they are well rebuked by the fabulist, who tells us that once, no matter when, a pugnacious duck was revelling in a pond, whereupon a dog coming to take a drink, she wished to prevent his dogship slaking his thirst, but at the same time was far from willing to come to blows; seeing which, the latter exclaimed, "Ah, Madam Duck, those who have neither strength nor courage to fight, should at least be civil."

   1843, “Third Bulletin From the Seat of War: Arrest of Paterson”, in The Investigator, volume 21, page 165

   The little dog trotted contentedly along in the dust, rousing himself occasionally to chase a rabbit which would disappear with great rapidity and a whist of his long ears into some nearby retreat, leaving his dogship to return in chagrin to his deserted post.

   1907 Augusst, “The Little Dog Under the Wagon”, in The National Advocate, volume 44, page 114

3. countableuncountableA term of opprobrium.

   Your excellency must have meant to say dogship. Surely it was a mistake. A lordship? For me...

   2023, Andrés de Claramonte y Corroy, “The Brave Black Soldier”, in Black Protagonists of Early Modern Spain

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   Not mine hand, Surely; but say my foot should strike a liar, the blow should do his dogship honour; yea, Were all high titles guilt about his head, Scarce were he worthy to be spurned of me.

   1885, Algernon Charles Swinburne, Marino Faliero

   In Mars' as well as Venus' wars, Ere flames attack our huts and tow'rs, and burn you dogship out of doors.

   1889, Thomas Bridges, Francis Grose, Homer's Iliad: A Burlesque Translation, page 183

4. countableuncountableThe leader of a war party.

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   Plain was it that to his dogship's way of thinking it was a very bungling fashion of doing business, thus to suffer this red barbarian to pass from under their hands, untouched by tomahawk or tooth— betraying, as it did, a weakness of feeling altogether unbeseeming warriors of the first blood like themselves.

   2021, Morrison Heady, Burl

plural dogships

1. informalaeronauticsAn experimental model of an aircraft.

   The Sperry Gyroscope Company's DC-3 “dogship” proved the concept in test flights at the Sperry plant in Long Island, New York.

   2005, Malcolm J. Abzug, E. Eugene Larrabee, Airplane Stability and Control, page 103

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   It is now planned to have complete drawing release for the pilot production AMCS units before the first missile is fired from any aircraft. (Initial firings will be from an A3 dogship).

   1970, United States. Congress. Senate. Government Operations, TFX Contract Investigation

   After this, the Mikoyan OKB undertook a redesign of the fuel system; the changes were to be verified on the third production MiG-31, '201 Blue' (f/n 0102-01), a long-serving 'dogship'.

   2011, Yefim Gordon, Dmitriy Komissarov, Flight Craft 8: Mikoyan MiG-31: Defender of the Homeland, page 16