dogsBrE /dɒgz/ NAmE /dɔːgz/► SEE ALLgo to the dogsrain cats and dogslet sleeping dogs lie ●go to the ˈdogs (NAmE alsogo to hell in a ˈhandbasket) (informal) (often used of a company, an organization, a country, etc.常用于指公司、组织、国家等) become less powerful, efficient, etc. than before败落；大不如前◆Many people think this country’s going to the dogs. 许多人认为这个国家正走向衰落。●rain cats and ˈdogs ( rain ˈbuckets) (informal) (usually used in progressive tenses通常用于进行时) rain very heavily下（倾盆）大雨◆We can’t possibly play golf today. It’s raining cats and dogs out there.我们今天打不了高尔夫球了，外面雨下得可大呢。◆It’s been raining buckets all morning.整个上午都在下大雨。ORIGINThe expression ‘raining cats and dogs’ may come from Norse mythology. Cats were supposed to have an influence over the weather, while dogs were the signal of storms. * raining cats and dogs 这个表达法可能源于古斯堪的纳维亚神话。据说猫能影响天气，而狗是暴风雨的征兆。●let ˌsleeping dogs ˈlie (saying) do not disturb a situation which could cause trouble不要多事；不要自找麻烦◆I was very careful about what I said. It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie, I think.我非常注意自己的言辞，我认为最好不要惹是生非。