A blow or strike delivered with force, likened to the strength of a dog's attack; a forceful hit.
Compound of 'dog' and 'blow,' from Old English 'blaw' meaning to strike. Used in dialects and archaic texts to emphasize the violence and force of a strike.
This archaic word shows how medieval English used animals as metaphors for force—a 'dogblow' was considered more violent than most other strikes, reflecting how fearsome wild dogs seemed to medieval people.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.