Fromunder- +‎dog.

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underdog (pluralunderdogs)

1. Acompetitor thoughtunlikely towin.

   Synonyms:little guy,rank outsider

   • 2004 August 30,The New Yorker, page40:

     In Athens, the Americans areunderdogs to the Chinese and the Canadians(the Canadians!)

   • 2014 March 9, Jacob Steinberg, “Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals”, inThe Guardian:

     The visit of a Championship side would not normally send a shiver down their spine but they knew that Wigan wereunderdogs who would snap at their heels and that they possessed a potent bite if they were not kept on a firm leash.

2. Somebody at adisadvantage.

   Synonym:bottom dog

   • 1942,Julius J. Epstein,Philip G. Epstein,Howard Koch,Casablanca:

     Laszlo: Isn't it strange that you always happened to be fighting on the side of theunderdog?
     Rick: Yes. I found that a very expensive hobby, too. But then I never was much of a businessman.

3. A highswing wherein the person pushing the swing runs beneath the swing while the person being pushed is at the forward limit of thearc.

• favourite,favorite
• sure bet
• safe bet
• top dog
• shoo-in

• also-ran
• dark horse

• grounded,undergod

Borrowed fromEnglishunderdog.

underdog m (invariable)

1. underdog
   • 2023 June 28,Session of Parliament, spoken byGiuseppe Conte:

     Oggi bisogna dire alla Presidente Meloni che la favola dell'underdog, della svantaggiata, che ha astutamente lei elaborato non funziona più. Gli italiani pretendono risultati e non si accontentano più della favola di chi si è auto-rappresentato come la novità della politica....

     Today we must tell President Meloni that the story of her being anunderdog, of being disadvantaged, that she cleverly devised no longer works. The Italian people demand results and they will no longer settle with the story of a self-proclaimed novelty of politics....

Borrowed fromEnglishunderdog.

underdog c

1. underdog

• underdog inSvenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• underdog inSvensk ordbok (SO)
• underdog inSvenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)