Cuss Someone Like a Dog

Q: Does this mean someone was cussing at a dog?

No — it means they cussed a person as if they were a dog, in a harsh or scolding way.

In Southern and Appalachian speech, cuss someone like a dog means to scold or berate someone harshly with strong language. It’s a vivid rural expression describing a thorough tongue-lashing.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Southern #ScoldingandTeasing

synonyms: curse out

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I heard Henry Cho say somebody was 'dog cussin'' him and remembered this one. It's a common one out in the country. And Henry Cho's a good'un, by the way.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I heard Henry Cho say somebody was 'dog cussin'' him and remembered this one. It's a common one out in the country. And Henry Cho's a good'un, by the way.

Pronunciation

[KUSS sum-un lahk uh DAWG]
/kʌs ˈsʌmwʌn laɪk ə dɔːɡ/

Meaning & Usage

- To curse or scold someone severely (idiom)

Ruby:

He tracked mud all over the rug, and his mama cussed him like a dog.

Earl:

Reckon he’ll think twice next time.

variations: dog-cuss, dog cuss, dog cussing

★ If you’re gettin’ cussed like a dog, you’ve done stepped in it - literally or figuratively. ★

Origin and Etymology

This expression blends two long-standing Southern features: the verb "cuss" (common in Southern and Appalachian English since the 1800s) and the simile "like a dog," used to intensify negative treatment. The phrase evokes a loud, sharp reprimand like a farm dog might receive for troublemaking. Shortened modern forms such as "dog-cuss" developed later but trace back to this older construction.

Usage Notes

Often used jokingly or in storytelling, not always literal or mean-spirited. The modern variants "dog-cuss" and "dog cussing" appear across the South today, while the full form "cuss someone like a dog" retains a more old-time rural flavor.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Does this mean someone was cussing at a dog?

No - it means they cussed a person as if they were a dog, in a harsh or scolding way.

Is it always angry?

It can be, but Southerners often use it humorously to exaggerate a scolding.

Is "dog-cuss" the same thing?

Yes - it’s a modern shortened form, most common in the South.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 26). Cuss Someone Like a Dog. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/cuss-someone-like-a-dog
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Cuss Someone Like a Dog." HillbillySlang.com, 26 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/cuss-someone-like-a-dog.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Cuss Someone Like a Dog." HillbillySlang.com. October 26, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/cuss-someone-like-a-dog.

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