Idiom Origins - Have one's tail between one's legs - History of Have one's tail between one's legs

Have one's tail between one's legs

Meanings and origins of thousands of idioms, curious words, and slang.

Origin of: Have one's tail between one's legs

Have one's tail between one's legs

To be down-hearted or to be in bad spirits, the opposite of to have one's tail up, derives from the observation of dogs who convey their emotions via the position of their tails. It dates from at least the Middle Ages, if not before.