a dog’s breakfast
noun phrase (informal)

- something that looks extremely untidy, or something that is very badly done

Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

ORIGIN

This is a 19th century phrase. The exact origin is uncertain, although most of the earliest uses of it originate from England. An early example was printed in the London journal "The Referee", November 1878 in a review of a play:

“There is enough material for fourteen comedies crammed into its three acts, and the good things are flung together in a heap like a dog’s breakfast.”

It’s pure speculation, but maybe dog’s breakfast referred to a cooking accident only fit for a dog’s consumption. Alternatively, it’s simply the mess a dog makes when eating.

SYNONYMS

dog’s dinner, DOG'S BREAKFAST, botch, fiasco, grab bag, mingle-mangle, mishmash, screw-up, muddle, hodge-podge, hotchpotch, mess, madhouse, bungle, crazy quilt, alphabet soup, ragbag, shambles, snafu, mare’s nest

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“Sorry to say this, but the report of the committee is a real DOG’S BREAKFAST.”

—
HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

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and

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40