[dawg, dog] 
noun, verb, dogged, dog⋅ging.| 1. | a domesticated canid, Canis familiaris, bred in many varieties. |
| 2. | any carnivore of the dogfamily Canidae, having prominent canine teeth and, in the wild state, a long and slender muzzle, a deep-chested muscular body, a bushy tail, and large, erect ears. Compare canid. |
| 3. | the male of such an animal. |
| 4. | any of various animals resembling a dog. |
| 5. | a despicable man or youth. |
| 6. | Informal. a fellow in general: a lucky dog. |
| 7. | dogs, Slang. feet. |
| 8. | Slang.
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| 9. | Slang. an ugly, boring, or crude person. |
| 10. | Slang. hot dog. |
| 11. | (initial capital letter ) Astronomy. either of two constellations, Canis Major or Canis Minor. |
| 12. | Machinery.
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| 13. | Also called gripper, nipper. Metalworking. a device on a drawbench for drawing the work through the die. |
| 14. | a cramp binding together two timbers. |
| 15. | an iron bar driven into a stone or timber to provide a means of lifting it. |
| 16. | an andiron; firedog. |
| 17. | Meteorology. a sundog or fogdog. |
| 18. | a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter D. |
| 19. | to follow or track like a dog, esp. with hostile intent; hound. |
| 20. | to drive or chase with a dog or dogs. |
| 21. | Machinery. to fasten with dogs. |
| 22. | dog it, Informal.
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| 23. | go to the dogs, Informal. to deteriorate; degenerate morally or physically: This neighborhood is going to the dogs. |
| 24. | lead a dog's life, to have an unhappy or harassed existence: He maintained that he led a dog's life in the army. |
| 25. | let sleeping dogs lie, to refrain from action that would alter an existing situation for fear of causing greater problems or complexities. |
| 26. | put on the dog, Informal. to assume an attitude of wealth or importance; put on airs. |
Do not stir up a problem that has lain quiet for some time.
dog
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let sleeping dogs lie
Allow inactive problems to remain so, as in Jane knew she should report the accident but decided to let sleeping dogs lie. This injunction to avoid stirring up trouble was already a proverb in the 13th century. It alludes to waking up a fierce watchdog and has been stated in English since the late 1300s.