Plural of 'dogsbody'; people who perform tedious, unpleasant, or menial work, often for little recognition or pay.
From 'dog's body,' dating to 19th-century British naval slang. Sailors jokingly called a meal of peas with hardtack 'dog's body,' and the term evolved to describe the sailors themselves or anyone stuck doing undesirable tasks—suggesting they were treated like dogs.
This word reveals how naval slang influenced everyday English—sailors had a gift for sarcastic humor, and their term for a cheap, unappetizing meal became a metaphor for anyone trapped in thankless work, showing how language captures social frustration.
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