subs. (common).—1. A blow; and (2) a bout of fisticuffs. As verb. = (1) to hit, or work hard; (2) to PUNISH (q.v.), to pound (pugilists’), and (3) to tackle a matter seriously. Whence SLOGGING-MATCH = a hard fight or tussle; SLOGGER = (1) a pugilist given to hard hitting, and (2) a steady worker; SLOGGING = a beating, a fight; and TO HAVE A SLOG ON = to put on a spurt. In America the spelling SLUG, SLUGGER, &c., is accepted.
1853. REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman, xi. His whole person put in chancery, stung, bruised, fibbed, propped, fiddled, SLOGGED, and otherwise ill-treated.
1857. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, I. v. The SLOGGER pulls up at last for a moment, fairly blown.
1878. A. LANG, The Ballad of the Boat-race. They catch the stroke, and they SLOG it through.
1885. Standard, 1 Dec. He was a vigorous SLOGGER, and heartily objected to being bowled first ball.
1886. Philadelphia Times, 6 May. There was some terrible SLOGGING.… Cleary panted two rib-roasters, and a tap on Langdon’s face.
1887. Fun, 9 Nov., 201. He had a “merry mill” with a Thames bargee, known as “Jim the SLOGGER,” and the SLOGGER … got the worst of the scrap.
1890. E. B. Michell, Boxing and Sparring, 162. ‘SLOGGING’ and hard hitting with the mere object of doing damage with the gloved hand earn no credit in the eyes of a good judge.
1891. Times, 14 Sept., ‘Capital Punishment.’ They top a lag out here [W. Aus.] for SLOGGING a screw.
2. (public schools’).—A large portion: spec. a big slice of cake.
