or toge, togemans, tog, subs. (old cant).—A coat, a cloak, a gown (HARMAN, B. E., GROSE, BEE, HOTTEN): sometimes TOGGER, TOGGY, and (Tufts) LONG TOG. [Latin, toga = a mantle; lit. a covering.] Also TOGS (pl.) = clothes: see TOGGERY, infra; SUNDAY TOGS = best clothes; TOGED (or TOGGED) = cloaked, gowned, togated, or equipped; TOGGED OUT = carefully dressed; TOGGED UP TO THE NINES = dressed TO KILL (q.v.), full-rigged; TOGGERY = (1) clothes: see TOGS, supra; (2) harness, equipment, belongings; (3) worn-out clothes (HALLIWELL); LONG-TOGS (nautical) = shore clothes; UPPER TOG (or UPPER TOGGER) = an overcoat. As verb = to dress, to clothe, to equip.
1465–70. Morte Arthure [E.E.T.S.], 178.
| Alle with taghte mene and towne | |
| in TOGERS fulle ryche. |
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors [E.E.T.S. (1869), 85]. I toure the strummel upon thy nabchet and TOGMAN. Ibid., 105. For want of their Casters and TOGEMANS.
1602. SHAKESPEARE, Othello, i. 1. 25. The TOGED consuls [in 1st quarto: other editions = tongued]. Ibid. (1610), Coriolanus, ii. 3. 122. Why in this woolvish TOGE should I stand here? [a modern reading; 1st Folio = tongue; other editions = gown].
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. NIM. Nim a TOGEMAN—to steal a cloak. Ibid., s.v. TOGEMAN … ’Tis a RUM-TOGEMANS, ’tis a good Camlet-Cloak.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. TOG. They are said to be well or queerly TOGGED, according to their appearance.
c. 1811. Vidocq’s Song, x.
| Next slipt off his bottom clo’ing | |
| And his ginger head topper gay. | |
| Then his other TOGGERY stowing, | |
| Tol lol, etc. |
1820. London Magazine, i. 25. He was always TOGGED OUT TO THE NINES.
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, 5. This TOGGERY will never fit—you must have a new rig-out.
1818–24. P. EGAN, Boxiana, ‘The Late Fight,’ 437.
| And, with his UPPER TOGGER gay, | |
| Prepar’d to toddle swift away. |
1824. SCOTT, St. Ronan’s Well, iv. He was TOG’D gnostically enough.
1835. R. H. DANA, Jr., Two Years Before the Mast, 131. I took no ‘LONG TOGS’ with me, and being dressed like the rest, in white duck trousers, blue jacket, and straw hat.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘A Lay of St. Romwold.’
| Had a gay cavalier Thought fit to appear | |
| In any such ‘TOGGERY’—then ’twas term’d ‘gear’— | |
| He’d have met with a highly significant sneer. |
1838. DICKENS, Oliver Twist, xvi. Look at his TOGS, superfine cloth and the heavy swell cut.
1844. C. SELBY, London by Night, ii. 1. My TOGS being in keeping with this nobby place.
1875. GREENWOOD, Low-life Deeps, 62. She’s a dress-woman…. One of them that they TOG OUT that they may show off at their best and make the most of their faces. Ibid. (1869), A Night in a Workhouse. Your suit of TOGGERY ain’t a very flash un.
1872. BLACKMORE, The Maid of Sker, vii. What did I do but go to church with all my topmost TOGS.
1879. Chambers’ Journal, 368. Scrumptious young girls you TOG OUT so finely.
1884. H. JAMES, A Little Tour in France, xxiii. Two … were gendarmes in full TOGGERY.
1879. J. RUTHERFORD (‘Thor Fredur’), Sketches from Shady Places, p. 10. In London many female servants seldom remain long in one situation; just long enough to get ‘TOGGED’ and fed up.
1898. MARSHALL, Pomes, 8. I took these TOGS to pawn, But uncle only looked at me and swore. Ibid., 88. He was TOGGED in his best, and so were the rest, Of his pals.
1900. R. H. SAVAGE, Brought to Bay, v. Julian sported his unmistakably English ‘TOGS,’ and ‘Texas Dave’ was again a typical ‘cowboy.’
1900. FLYNT, Tramping with Tramps, 130. Wimmenses’ TOGS hain’t up ter the men’s.
1901. Free Lance, 9 Feb., 459. 1. No ‘quick-change artist’ could have had a larger assortment of ‘TOGS.’
