ˈevri dɔɡ hæz hɪz deɪ
Animals
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Every dog will have a day when things go well
What does "every dog has his day" mean?
- Everyone will have a moment of success or good fortune eventually
- Even the least important person will get a chance to succeed
Examples
- He finally got promoted—every dog has his day.
- Don't worry, every dog has his day. Your time will come.
- After years of rejection, she got published. Every dog has his day.
Origin
Dating to the 16th century, possibly from Latin. Shakespeare used a version in 'Hamlet.' The phrase suggests that luck and success come to everyone at some point.
How to use it
Encouraging proverb for those facing setbacks. Can also be a mild threat implying that even the seemingly powerless will get their chance.
Similar expressions
what goes around comes around
everyone gets a turn
Opposites
never get a break
Related idioms
- kill two birds with one stone
To accomplish two goals with a single action
- let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret accidentally
- elephant in the room
An obvious problem or issue that everyone is aware of but no one wants to discuss
- don't count your chickens before they hatch
Don't assume success before it actually happens
- hold your horses
To wait and be patient
- fish out of water
Someone who feels awkward or uncomfortable in a particular situation
Use it in a practice answer
Try "every dog has his day" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.