have a dog in the fight
(Redirected from have a dog in this fight)
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]In reference to dogfighting and its spectators.
Verb
[edit]have a dog in the fight (third-person singular simple present has a dog in the fight, present participle having a dog in the fight, simple past and past participle had a dog in the fight)
- (US, chiefly in the negative) To have a personal stake in the issue.
- 2006 October 1, Dennis Lehane, “Refugees” (00:32:06), in The Wire, season 4, episode 4:
- Wilson: He's right. They endorse Royce, fine, 'the hell else they gonna do? But what they say and don't say from the pulpit the Sunday before the primary we still got a dog in that fight.
Carcetti: I do this right, they respect it.
Wilson: An' if they don't, at least they get to see a beggin’-ass white man on his knees. Always a feel-good moment for the folks.