six-water grog

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A sea-term for the weakest grog possible—six portions of water to one of rum—hardly enough spirit to "swear by."

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “six-water grog” mean?

A sea-term for the weakest grog possible—six portions of water to one of rum—hardly enough spirit to "swear by."

Is “six-water grog” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.