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Glite Dictionary
to try it on the dog

to try it on the dog

9.5
Test something first with a small group before using it more widely
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : probarlo en algo menos importante
  • Before launching the product, the team decided to try it on the dog with a small group of users.

Examples

  • They always try it on the dog before making a big investment in a new idea.

  • Before launching the new app, let's try it on the dog.

  • If you're unsure about the new recipe, why not try it on the dog before the party?

  • You should try it on the dog first!

  • Before launching the product, the team decided to try it on the dog with a small group of users.

  • If you're unsure about the new recipe, why not try it on the dog before the big dinner?

  • They always try it on the dog to see how it performs before committing to a larger scale.

Synonyms

to try
vsto try it on the dog
∞ 1.0

To test something to see if it works

is specifically done first on a low risk case before wider use
to try out
vsto try it on the dog
229 2.8

To test something to see how it works

is done on a less important subject before wider application
to give it a try
vsto try it on the dog
102 1.7

Try something for the first time to see if you like it

is applied to a small low-stakes test before wider practical use
to give it a whirl
vsto try it on the dog
  • Informal
8 5.8

To try something for the first time to see if it works

is done as a cautious small-scale test before broader or risky use
to see what sticks
vsto try it on the dog
  • Informal
2 7.7

To try different ideas to find which ones work

focuses on testing one idea cautiously on a low-stakes subject before full use
to make trial of
vsto try it on the dog
  • Archaic
7.2

To try something to see if it works

focuses on testing on a less important subject before full adoption
to give a whirl
vsto try it on the dog
  • Informal
4.9

Try something once to see if you like it or are good at it

is used for a cautious test on a less important case before wider rollout
to throw things at the wall and see what sticks
vsto try it on the dog
  • Informal
8.2

Try many different ideas to find one that works

is about testing a single option carefully on a low-risk example before broad adoption

Surface Forms

try it on the dog infinitive

Morphology

try + it + on + the + dog

A B1 learner who knows the words would most likely interpret this literally (putting or testing something on an animal). The idiomatic sense 'test on a less important subject/low-stakes trial' is not a predictable extension of 'dog' or the phrase composition and there is no clear cross-linguistic pattern to make that meaning obvious, so the expression is not derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Try it on the dog may come from the simple idea of testing a new trick or recipe on a real dog first, because a dog is an easy, low-risk tester. That's why it now means 'to test something in practice on a small or less important case before using it more widely'.