# call off the dogs

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.
2. During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/call-off-the-dogs