the.com/dog days
The sluggish, sweaty peak of summer, named after a star, not a panting pet.
means The hottest, most sluggish stretch of summer, when heat saps motivation and everything slows to a crawl.
from From Latin dies caniculares, 'days of the dog star' — ancient astronomers noticed that Sirius, the 'Dog Star' (part of Canis Major), rose and set with the sun during midsummer, and believed its added light and heat intensified the season's brutal temperatures. The name stuck long after the astronomy was forgotten, leaving behind a phrase that sounds like it's about panting hounds but is really about a star.
- origin
- Named for Sirius, the Dog Star, rising with the sun
- timing
- Ancient Romans pinned it to early July through August
- belief
- Romans thought the star added heat, causing lethargy and madness
- irony
- Has nothing to do with actual dogs lying around