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

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 There was a tattoo parlor, gallons of flowing grog — C champagne, this is fashion — and plenty of dancing before the crowds made their way onto the cobblestones and into the darkness, beckoned by their own voyage home. — Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, "Karl Lagerfeld Sails Home to Hamburg for Chanel’s Métiers d’Art," 7 Dec. 2017 Cocktails include classics like the Painkiller and Piña Colada, and new house drinks such as the house grog (banana liqueur, Goslings Gold, Cruzan 9 spice, lime, grapefruit, honey syrup and Bittercube Mahalo bitters). — Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Tiki spot the Love Shack opening in Walker's Point," 20 June 2017 Entertainment goes well beyond navy grog and steaks cooked over oak in a Chinese oven, to include a time-warp stage show called the Polynesian Islander Revue (fire dancers, headdresses, pulsating drums). — Robert Simonson, New York Times, "At Fort Lauderdale’s Mai-Kai, It’s Always Tiki Time," 28 Feb. 2017

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.