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Glite Dictionary
a dog's age

a dog's age

7.9
A very long time since something happened
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : un siglo
  • It feels like a dog's age since we've had a proper family meal.

Examples

  • Her parents haven't taken a vacation in a dog's age.

  • I haven't seen you in a dog's age!

  • I haven't been to the old neighborhood in a dog's age.

  • It's been a dog's age!

  • I haven't seen my friends in a dog's age, and I miss them so much.

  • We finally cleaned the attic after a dog's age of procrastination.

  • It feels like a dog's age since we last went on a family trip.

Synonyms

long time
vsa dog's age
∞ 1.0

A period lasting many days or years

is a vivid informal expression for that prolonged duration
a long time
vsa dog's age
∞ 1.0

A period that lasts much longer than usual

is an idiomatic phrase that adds color or humor to that idea
age
vsa dog's age
332 7.7

A very long time

is an informal, vivid expression rather than a plain noun
coon's age
vsa dog's age
  • NSFW
1 9.9

A very long time

is the more neutral idiom for the same long elapsed time
since Hector was a pup
vsa dog's age
  • UK
9.9

For a very long time

is a general idiom used more widely, not as a personal joke
years
vsa dog's age
2.6

A very long time that feels much longer than usual

is a fixed idiomatic phrase pointing to long elapsed time

Antonyms

moment
∞ 1.0

A very short time or a particular point in time

instant
232 1.0

A very short moment that passes quickly

How Long

eternity
  • Informal
63 4.7
a dog's age
  • Informal
7.9
a long time
∞ 1.0
moment
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

a dog's age singular
a dog's ages plural

Morphology

a + dog's + age

The possessive construction 'dog's' plus 'age' does not transparently yield the meaning 'a very long time'—there is no clear compositional link from 'dog' and 'age' to duration in the idiomatic sense. This is an English-specific idiom that a B1 learner who knows the individual words would not reliably infer without prior exposure.

Etymology

A dog's age may come from the old idea that one dog year equals many human years, so a dog's time feels much longer. That's why people use a dog's age to mean 'a very long time'.