Learn English – What does “keep the black dog at bay” mean

phrases

I found the phrase “keep the black dog at bay” in an article titled “ Ways to Beat the Winter Blues” in Time magazine November 14 issue. The phrase comes up at the end of the following statement:

“As the days get shorter and winter closes in, many people feel like hibernating. We start sleeping more, eating more and avoiding social contact. The effects can be particularly oppressive for people with depression, many of whom feel escalating dread as the end of daylight saving time approaches. Here are eight ways to keep the black dog at bay after you turn back the clocks.”

I checked definition of “keep the black dog at bay” on several online dictionaries. None of Cambridge, Oxford, Merriam-Webster, and even Urban dictionary registers this phrase.

What does "keep the black dog at bay" mean? I wonder whether “black dog” is used as a pun with “winter blue” in the headline. Is “keep the black dog at bay” a well-established idiom?

Best Answer

Black dog is an oft-used phrase to mean depression.

Here's a link that attributes the phrase to Winston Churchill, but I suspect he didn't invent it. I like the way they described it though:

"Black Dog" was Churchill's name for his depression, and as is true with all metaphors, it speaks volumes. The nickname implies both familiarity and an attempt at mastery, because while that dog may sink his fangs into one's person every now and then, he's still, after all, only a dog, and he can be cajoled sometimes and locked up other times.

This paper (PDF, sorry), claims several references in the 1800's. Interestingly, the way they describe it (being ghostly and following people around) makes one wonder if it isn't ultimately related to the English folklore character Black Shuck.

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