What does give a dog a bad name and hang him mean?
Definitions for give a dog a bad name and hang him
give a dog a bad name and hang him
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word give a dog a bad name and hang him.
Wikipedia
Give a dog a bad name and hang him
Give a dog a bad name and hang him is an English proverb. Its meaning is that if a person's reputation has been besmirched, then he will suffer difficulty and hardship. A similar proverb is he that has an ill name is half hanged. The proverb dates back to the 18th century or before. In 1706, John Stevens recorded it as "Give a Dog an ill name and his work is done". In 1721, James Kelly had it as a Scottish proverb – "Give a Dog an ill Name, and he'll soon be hanged. Spoken of those who raise an ill Name on a Man on purpose to prevent his Advancement." In Virginia, it appeared as an old saying in the Norfolk Herald in 1803 – "give a dog a bad name and hang him".The observation is due to negativity bias – that people are apt to think poorly of others on weak evidence. This is then reinforced by confirmation bias as people give more weight to evidence that supports a preconception than evidence which contradicts it.
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of give a dog a bad name and hang him in Chaldean Numerology is: 6
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of give a dog a bad name and hang him in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1
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"give a dog a bad name and hang him." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 8 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/give+a+dog+a+bad+name+and+hang+him>.
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