n
a small, strong breed of dog. It was originally bred in Staffordshire for dog fights (= events in which two dogs fight and people bet on which one will win) in the early 19th century. In the 1980s it was fashionable in Britain to have these dogs as pets, particularly among people in cities who wanted to appear strong or dangerous. In the 1990s more people bought them after a new law made it difficult to own the larger and more violent US pit bull terriers .