pig

[[t]pɪ̱g[/t]]

pigs, pigging, pigged

1) N-COUNT A pig is a pink or black animal with short legs and not much hair on its skin. Pigs are often kept on farms for their meat, which is called pork, ham, bacon, or gammon.

→ See also guinea pig

...the grunting of the pigs.

...a pig farmer.

Syn:

hog

2) N-COUNT (disapproval) If you call someone a pig, you think that they are unpleasant in some way, especially that they are greedy or unkind. [INFORMAL]

3) N-SING: a N, usu N of n If you say that something is, for example, a pig of a job, you mean it is very difficult. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

According to the British show jumping team manager, `It's a pig of a course - much too big and also very technical.'

4) VERB (disapproval) If you say that people are pigging themselves, you are criticizing them for eating a very large amount at one meal. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

[V pron-refl] A vicar's wife accused them of `pigging themselves' at the expense of churchgoers.

Syn:

gorge, pig out

5) PHRASE: V inflects If you make a pig's ear of something you are doing, you do it very badly. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

He and Dermott Reeve almost made a complete pig's ear of the final push for victory.

Syn:

bungle, make a mess of

6) PHRASE (emphasis) If you say `pigs might fly' after someone has said that something might happen, you are emphasizing that you think it is very unlikely. [HUMOROUS, INFORMAL]

`There's a chance he won't get involved in this, of course.' - `And pigs might fly.'

7) PHRASE: V and N inflect (disapproval) If you say that someone is making a pig of themselves, you are criticizing them for eating a very large amount at one meal. [INFORMAL]

I'm afraid I made a pig of myself at dinner.

Phrasal Verbs:

- pig out