bog

¹ American  

[bog, bawg] / bɒg, bɔg /

noun

1. wet, spongy ground with soil composed mainly of decayed vegetable matter.

2. an area or stretch of such ground.

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verb (used with or without object)

bogged, bogging

1. to sink in or as if in a bog (often followed bydown ).

   We were bogged down by overwork.

verb phrase

1. bog in to eat heartily and ravenously.

bog ² American  

[bog, bawg] / bɒg, bɔg /

noun

British Slang.

1. a lavatory; bathroom.

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bog British  

/ bɒɡ /

noun

1. wet spongy ground consisting of decomposing vegetation, which ultimately forms peat

2. an area of such ground

3. a place or thing that prevents or slows progress or improvement

4. a slang word for lavatory

5. slang the act or an instance of defecating

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bog Scientific  

/ bôg /

1. An area of wet, spongy ground consisting mainly of decayed or decaying peat moss (sphagnum) and other vegetation. Bogs form as the dead vegetation sinks to the bottom of a lake or pond, where it decays slowly to form peat. Peat bogs are important to global ecology, since the undecayed peat moss stores large amounts of carbon that would otherwise be released back into the atmosphere. Global warming may accelerate decay in peat bogs and release more carbon dioxide, which in turn may cause further warming.

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Other Word Forms

• bogginess noun
• boggish adjective
• boggy adjective

Etymology

Origin of bog¹

1495–1505; < Irish or Scots Gaelic bogach soft ground ( bog soft + -ach noun suffix); bog ¹ ( def. 4 ) perhaps a different word

Origin of bog¹

1780–90; probably shortening of bog-house; compare bog to defecate, boggard (16th century) privy, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Yet one high-ranking officer said the continent was "completely paralysed" and bogged down in debate rather than action.

From Barron's

Owen was so lost in thought he didn’t see the flat, ice-covered bog ahead of them until George changed course to go around it.

From Literature

Seventeen of his home runs came before the All-Star break, a sign of injuries bogging down his results at the plate.

From Los Angeles Times

“But if the U.S. gets bogged down in a Latin American mess, then the appetite and capacity to intervene in other parts of the world will diminish,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"My wife will know when I am bogged down with frustration," he explained.

From BBC

Related Words

• lowland
• marshland
• wetlands