Definition of GROG

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Eighteenth-century English admiral Edward Vernon reputedly earned the nickname "Old Grog" because he often wore a cloak made from grogram (a coarse, loosely woven fabric made of silk or silk blended with mohair or wool). In Old Grog's day, sailors in the Royal Navy were customarily given a daily ration of rum, but in 1740 the admiral, concerned about the health of his men, ordered that the rum should be diluted with water. The decision wasn't very popular with the sailors, who supposedly dubbed the mixture "grog" after Vernon. Today, "grog" can be used as a general term for any liquor, even undiluted, and someone who acts drunk or shaky can be called "groggy."

Examples of grog in a Sentence

sailors clamoring for more grog

Recent Examples on the Web Imbibing is not as easy as visiting a bar, however: The tradition of kava and grog involves ceremony and storytelling, and a few hours of making new friends. — Valerie Marino, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Islands in the World: 2019 Readers' Choice Awards," 7 Oct. 2019 Imbibing is not as easy as visiting a bar, however: The tradition of kava and grog involves ceremony and storytelling, and a few hours of making new friends. — Valerie Marino, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Islands in the World: 2019 Readers' Choice Awards," 7 Oct. 2019 There is no truth to the rumor that Memorial Stadium’s practice facilities are so old, the vending machines still sell mutton and grog. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Big Game jokes: The best — and worst — of Cal, Stanford humor," 22 Nov. 2019 Imbibing is not as easy as visiting a bar, however: The tradition of kava and grog involves ceremony and storytelling, and a few hours of making new friends. — Valerie Marino, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Islands in the World: 2019 Readers' Choice Awards," 7 Oct. 2019 Imbibing is not as easy as visiting a bar, however: The tradition of kava and grog involves ceremony and storytelling, and a few hours of making new friends. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Islands in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards," 9 Oct. 2018 Boston and Newport banks were skilled money launderers, and their waterfronts offered some of the best prostitutes and grog houses in the world. — Rinker Buck, WSJ, "‘Black Flags, Blue Waters’ Review: To Live and Die a Pirate King," 26 Sep. 2018 Charles Darwin was an enthusiastic pigeon fancier and haunted the grog-shops where his fellow fanciers met to learn about selective breeding. — Simon Barnes, WSJ, "‘Pasta for Nightingales’ Review: Birdwatching Tips From the Renaissance," 13 Apr. 2018 This kind of sturdy, discount grog is often favoured by the hardest drinkers. — The Economist, "Scotland’s minimum price for alcohol may have unexpected effects," 1 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grog.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.