togs

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Clothes; "Sunday TOGS," best clothes. One of the oldest cant words—in use in the time of Henry VIII. See CANT.

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 “togs” mean?

Clothes; "Sunday TOGS," best clothes. One of the oldest cant words—in use in the time of Henry VIII. See CANT.

Is “togs” formal or informal?

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