Word of the Day

: January 28, 2011

tog

verb TAHG

What It Means

: to dress especially in fine clothing -- usually used with up or out

tog in Context

She smiled as she took pictures of her teenage son, who was togged out in a tuxedo and standing next to his prom date.

"Brolin is togged out in 20 pounds of woolen Civil War-era clothing, including a floor-length duster, for one of the movie's opening scenes." -- From an article by Mike Scott in the Times-Picayune (New Orleans), June 19, 2010

Did You Know?

The history of "tog" is a true rags-to-riches tale that begins with the slang of vagabonds and thieves -- specifically, with the noun "togeman," an old (and now obsolete) slang word meaning "cloak." By the early 18th century, the noun "tog," a shortened form of "togeman," was being used as a slang word for "coat," and before the century's end the plural form "togs" was being used to mean "clothing." The verb "tog" debuted shortly after "togs" and was immediately in style as a word for dressing up. You may be wondering if there's a connection between "tog" and "toga," and if so, you are right on track. "Togeman" is believed to be derived in part from "toga," which means "cloak" or "mantle" in Latin.