What is a 'dog-fall' in wrestling?
A 'dog-fall' in wrestling is when both wrestlers fall together. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English Wikisource records: “(in wrestling), when both wrestlers fall together.”
Origin
- Verbatim from Brewer's (1898): (in wrestling), when both wrestlers fall together.
How to use it
- Modern usage: A 'dog-fall' in wrestling is when both wrestlers fall together.
- When quoting the origin, cite Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — this is a 19th-century record, not a modern etymology.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.