to bark at the moon
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To rail uselessly especially at those in high places, as a dog thinks to frighten the moon by baying at it
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to bark at the moon” mean?
To rail uselessly especially at those in high places, as a dog thinks to frighten the moon by baying at it
Is “to bark at the moon” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.