dog-ear

noun
- a turned-down corner of the leaf of a book
- a bookmark in computing

verb transitive
- to turn down the corner of a leaf or leaves in a book
- to bookmark a website

dog-eared

adjective
- having the corners worn or battered with use (of an object made from paper)

Webster’s New World College Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary
Oxford Languages

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ORIGIN

The phrase dates back at least to the late 18th century: “…those opinions quoted by the Hon. Gentleman from dog’s-eared pages of pamphlets ...” - William Pitt the Younger, address to the House of Commons, Feb. 3, 1799.

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A TERRIBLE WARNING!

Irma Pince, the librarian at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter novels, issued an ominous warning to those who damage books:

“A warning if you rip, tear, shred, bend, fold, deface, disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop, or in any other manner damage, mistreat, or show lack of respect towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as it is within my power to make them.”

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SYNONYMS

bend, concertina, corrugate, crease, crimp, crimple, crinkle, crumple, curl, DOG-EAR, double-over, fold, fold-over, fold-up, furrow, pleat, rumple, scrumple, scrunch, squash, squidge, tuck, turn-over, wrinkle

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Practice OWAD in an English conversation, say something like:

“That book is out-of-print, but you can borrow my DOG-EARED copy if you like."

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

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-3

Paul Smith