March 9, 2000

underdog

As a sports fan, I hear the word underdog all the time, but I've realized that I have no idea about its origin. And is there such a thing as an overdog?

I think the expression you are looking for is top dog. Both underdog and top dog come from the lingo of dog fights in the late 19th century. In these fights, two dogs would attack each other. The winner of the match was the top dog; the loser was the underdog. As early as 1879, the expression was used figuratively: "It smells of old . . .readers with ragged edges like the ears of the 'under dog' in the fight" (Taylor, Summer-Savory).

Although the expression is originally American, the first recorded use of underdog to describe people is found in a British newspaper: "There is an indefinable expression in his face and figure of having been vanquished, of having to succumb, of having been 'under-dog' as the saying is" (Daily Telegraph, 1887). In 1892 underdog appeared in another British newspaper, looking like the noun we know today: "The mission of the Democratic party is to fight for the under-dog" (Daily Chronicle).

That last quote brings us to the political milieu, where underdog continues to be a dominant descriptive metaphor. Reuters' news on Wednesday reported in their election results coverage: "Bush. . .dealt a possibly fatal blow to underdog. . .John McCain."

The other great arena for the underdog expression is the one you mentioned -- sports. As a Chicago Bears fan, I remember (vaguely) what it felt like to be the top dog in 1985. The last fifteen years haven't been as sweet. They say that Americans love an underdog, but I think the whole experience is overrated. I bet two guys named Bill and John would agree with me.

Heather