frog

¹

[frog, frawg]

noun

1. any tailless, stout-bodied amphibian of the order Anura, including the smooth, moist-skinned frog species that live in a damp or semiaquatic habitat and the warty, drier-skinned toad species that are mostly terrestrial as adults.

2. Also called true frog,. Also called ranid. any frog of the widespread family Ranidae, most members of which are semiaquatic and have smooth, moist skin and relatively long hind legs used for leaping.

3. a slight hoarseness, usually caused by mucus on the vocal cords.

   a frog in the throat.

4. (often initial capital letter),  a contemptuous term used to refer to a French person or a person of French descent.

5. a small holder made of heavy material, placed in a bowl or vase to hold flower stems in position.

6. a recessed panel on one of the larger faces of a brick or the like.

7. Music.,  nut.

verb (used without object)

frogged, frogging 

1. to hunt and catch frogs.

adjective

1. (often initial capital letter),  French or Frenchlike.

frog

²

[frog, frawg]

noun

1. an ornamental fastening for the front of a coat, consisting of a button and a loop through which it passes.

2. a sheath suspended from a belt and supporting a scabbard.

frog

³

[frog, frawg]

noun

1. Railroads.,  a device at the intersection of two tracks to permit the wheels and flanges on one track to cross or branch from the other.

frog

⁴

[frog, frawg]

noun

Zoology.

1. a triangular mass of elastic, horny substance in the middle of the sole of the foot of a horse or related animal.

frog

¹

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. any insectivorous anuran amphibian of the family Ranidae , such as Rana temporaria of Europe, having a short squat tailless body with a moist smooth skin and very long hind legs specialized for hopping

2. any of various similar amphibians of related families, such as the tree frog

3. any spiked or perforated object used to support plant stems in a flower arrangement

4. a recess in a brick to reduce its weight

5. phlegm on the vocal cords that affects one's speech

verb

1. (intr) to hunt or catch frogs

frog

²

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. (often plural) a decorative fastening of looped braid or cord, as on the front of a 19th-century military uniform

2. a loop or other attachment on a belt to hold the scabbard of a sword, etc

3. music

   1. the ledge or ridge at the upper end of the fingerboard of a violin, cello, etc, over which the strings pass to the tuning pegs

   2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): nut. the end of a violin bow that is held by the player

Frog

³

/ frɒɡ, ˈfrɒɡɪ /

noun

1. a derogatory word for a French person

frog

⁴

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. a tough elastic horny material in the centre of the sole of a horse's foot

frog

⁵

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. a grooved plate of iron or steel placed to guide train wheels over an intersection of railway lines

Sensitive Note

The use of the word frog to mean “a French person” is a slur that arose because the French were stereotypically thought of as eating frogs.

Other Word Forms

• froglike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of frog¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English frogge, Old English frogga, frocga; compare dialectal Middle English frosh, Old Norse froskr, Old High German frosk ( German Frosch ); frog ¹ defs. 5, 6 of unclear derivation

Origin of frog²

First recorded in 1710–20; perhaps from Portuguese froco, from Latin floccus “tuft of wool”; flock ²

Origin of frog³

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; of uncertain origin

Origin of frog⁴

First recorded in 1600–10; compare earlier frush in same sense, probably from French fourchette “fork” ( fourchette ); presumably identified with dialectal frosh “frog,” hence with frog ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of frog¹

Old English frogga ; related to Old Norse froskr , Old High German forsk

Origin of frog²

C18: perhaps ultimately from Latin floccus tuft of hair, _flock ²

Origin of frog³

C17: of uncertain origin

Origin of frog⁴

C19: of uncertain origin; perhaps a special use of _frog ¹

Example Sentences

Tennis star Taylor Townsend is sorry for criticizing unfamiliar foods on offer while in China for a tournament — dishes including frog, turtle and sea cucumber.

From Los Angeles Times

We’d better start by stating that the metaphor involving boiling a frog by gradually increasing the temperature of the water is a myth.

From Salon

It is held on a Site of Special Scientific Interest at the Waen Rhydd bog, which is home to protected species like newts, frogs, various plants and the odd otter.

From BBC

As with the proverbial frog in that pot of water, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s chilling action-thriller “Cloud,” about a callow internet hustler’s reckoning, has nothing good to offer about where online anonymity and e-capitalism have gotten us.

From Los Angeles Times

The kit's pattern is inspired by a barking tree frog and is made from recycled mono-fibre materials which used plant-based dyes, club chairman Dale Vince said.

From BBC

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