jog

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To run slowly and steadily, usually for exercise.

   She jogs along the river every morning.

2. 2
   verb

   To help someone remember something.

   This photo might jog your memory.

3. 3
   verb

   To push or knock something gently.

   Someone jogged my elbow and I spilled my drink.

4. 4
   noun

   A slow, steady run for exercise.

   He went for a quick jog before breakfast.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Jog originally meant “to nudge” or “to shake” and is related to jag, originally “to stab” or “to pierce.” In the late 16th century it developed the sense “to move as if shaken,” followed by “to walk or ride in a heavy or jolting way” or “to trudge.”

Of uncertain origin. Originally with the meaning of "to shake up and down." Possibly from Middle English joggen, a variant of jaggen (“to pierce, prod, stir up, arouse”); see jag (“sharp projection”). Or, perhaps an early alteration of English shog (“to jolt, shake; depart, go”), from Middle English shoggen, schoggen (“to shake up and down, jog”), from Middle Dutch schocken (“to jolt, bounce”) or Middle Low German schoggen, schocken (“to shog”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *skukkōn (“to move, shake, tremble”), possibly related to *skakan (“to shake, stir”). More at shock.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary