Grog

   , GROGGY

   Grog is rough liquor, but in today's language it means any liquor. Although it is no longer a popular beverage, it was at one time the chief drink of British sailors. In fact, grog was issued daily to both crew and officers and became a general name for hard liquor. The name of the beverage that sailors drank did not come from a distillery but from a nickname they bestowed on their chief officer.

   Edward Vernon (1684-1757) was commander-in-chief in the West Indies with the naval title of admiral. He was tough, irascible, and a stickler for the rules of discipline. He became concerned by the lack of sobriety of his men and accordingly established a rule that the daily portion of alcoholic beverage be diluted with water. This watered-down substitute made him unpopular with his crew, as one might readily imagine. The sailors dubbed the beverage grog after the admiral's nickname, which was "Old Grog." He received that moniker because he habitually wore a grogram coat, which is made of a coarse silk fabric. Anyone who has drunk too much of any intoxicant is likely to be unsteady on his feet. He is disoriented—groggy. And so is a prizefighter who appears wobbly. He's said to be punch-drunk, but not because he has drunk too much punch or grog. Even a person as sober as a judge, if dazed or giddy, feels groggy.