Everyone and their dog knows 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🐕

Meaning

Something is public knowledge, known by virtually everyone.

Origin

This idiom playfully exaggerates how widespread knowledge is. Think about a bustling town square or a busy marketplace. Who do you see? People, of course, but also their companions—their loyal dogs accompanying them everywhere. The phrase conjures an image of such a crowded, public space where even the animals are privy to the happenings. It’s a colorful way to say that something is so well-known, it’s as if even the most commonplace observers, down to the neighborhood pets, are aware of it.

🗣️ communication 🔒 secrets 🦉🤔 wisdom 🍀 luck

Everyone and their dog knows represented with emoji👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🐕

This playful arrangement of a family and their canine companion functions as a delightful visual shorthand for a universally understood idiom. It underscores the charming simplicity of communication when a picture truly is worth a thousand words, inviting us to celebrate the art of saying much with very little.

Examples

  • Everyone and their dog knows that the library closes at 5 PM on Saturdays.
  • It's hardly a secret; everyone and their dog knows who won the championship last year.
  • The grumpy gnome's aversion to sunlight is a well-known fact – everyone and their dog knows he hibernates until autumn.
  • The mischievous pixie's habit of swapping sugar for salt has spread like wildfire; everyone and their dog knows not to accept treats from him now.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between 'everyone knows' and 'everyone and their dog knows'?

While 'everyone knows' implies widespread recognition, 'everyone and their dog knows' dramatically exaggerates this by suggesting even pets are aware, emphasizing extreme, almost absurd, public knowledge.

Can 'everyone and their dog knows' be used sarcastically?

Yes, the phrase can be used sarcastically to mock someone for being unaware of something that is, in fact, incredibly obvious to almost everyone else.

Did the phrase 'everyone and their dog knows' originate from a specific event?

There's no record of the phrase 'everyone and their dog knows' stemming from a specific historical event; it's a colourful, hyperbolic idiom that evolved organically to emphasize common knowledge.

Is there an opposite idiom to 'everyone and their dog knows'?

A possible, though less common, opposite could be something like 'a closely guarded secret' or phrases implying complete obscurity, as there isn't one single established antonym.

Similar to "everyone and their dog knows"

You couldn't swing a cat without hitting one
Both capture the idea of overwhelming commonness, but this one evokes a slightly more chaotic, almost absurd abundance, rather than just widespread knowledge
It's common knowledge
Both speak to widespread awareness, but 'common knowledge' is straightforward and neutral, whereas 'everyone and their dog knows' adds a touch of wry, almost exasperated emphasis on just how *obvious* it all is
It's all over the grapevine
This phrase also signifies the spread of information, but it specifically points to unofficial channels and gossip, suggesting how the knowledge proliferated rather than simply that it's known

Opposite of "everyone and their dog knows"

It's a closely guarded secret
This argues for extreme secrecy, directly opposing the notion that something is public knowledge and highlighting the value placed on exclusivity and concealment
That's niche
This points to a subject known only by a select few, countering the idea of universal awareness by emphasizing specialized interest and a lack of broad appeal
Only the initiated know
This posits that understanding is restricted to a select group with special insight, a stark contrast to information accessible to 'everyone and their dog'

Related to "everyone and their dog knows"

Word gets around
This phrase shares the idea of information spreading, but focuses on the process of dissemination, unlike the end-result emphasis of 'everyone and their dog knows'
It's common parlance
This taps into the idea of widespread understanding, but specifically relates to language and the terms that have become universally recognized and used
The cat's out of the bag
This shares the theme of something previously hidden now being revealed, but it's event-driven, marking a specific moment of disclosure rather than continuous awareness
It's an open secret
This phrase orbits around the idea of widespread knowledge, but with the added tantalizing tension that it's somehow still considered a 'secret' despite everyone knowing