1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Groaning, subs. (old).—The act of parturition. Also, adj., parturient; or appertaining to parturition: as in groaning-malt (Scots’) = drink for a lying-in; groaning-pains = the pangs of delivery; groaning-wife = a woman ready to lie-in. 1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav. (Chiswick Press, 1892), p. 92. As smoothe as a groaning-wive’s bellie. 1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, iii., 2. It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge. 1786. Burns, The Rantin’ Dog the Daddie O’t. Wha will bring the groaning-malt? Groats, subs. (nautical).—The chaplain’s monthly allowance. To save one’s groats, verb. phr. (old University).—To come off handsomely. [At the Universities nine groats are deposited in the hands of an academic officer by every person standing for a degree, which, if the depositor obtains, with honour, are returned to him.—Grose.] Grocery, subs. (common).—1. Small change. 1728. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v. 2. (American).—A drinking bar. Also Confectionery and Groggery. 1847. Porter, Quarter Race, etc. 104. He went into his favourite grocery. 3. (common).—Sugar. [A restricted use of a colloquialism.] 1841. Lytton, Night and Morning, Bk. V., ch. ii. A private room and a pint of brandy, my dear. Hot water and lots of the grocery. Grog, subs. (old: now recognised).—Spirits and water; strong drink generally. [Till Admiral Vernon’s time (1745) rum was served neat, but he ordered it to be diluted, and was therefore nicknamed ‘Old Grog,’ in allusion to his grogram coat: a phrase that was presently adapted to the mixture he had introduced.] Groggy = drunk. Verb. (old).—To dilute or adulterate with water. 1878. Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford Mercury, 8 Mar. The defendants had grogged the casks by putting in hot water. To have grog on board (or to be grogged), verb. phr. (common).—To be drunk. For synonyms, see Screwed. 1842. Comic Almanack, October. He stands and listens, sad and dogged, To ‘fined five bob’ for being grogged. Grog-blossom, subs. (common).—A pimple caused by drinking to excess. Also Copper-nose and Jolly-nose. Fr., un nez culotté and un nez de pompettes. 1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, Grog-blossom, s.v. 1883. Thos. Hardy, The Three Strangers, in Longman’s Mag., March, p. 576. A few grog-blossoms marked the neighbourhood of his nose. 1888. W. Besant, Fifty Years Ago, ch. xi., p. 169. The outward and visible signs of rum were indeed various. First, there was the red and swollen nose, next, the nose beautifully painted with grog-blossoms. Grog-fight, subs. (military).—A drinking party. Cf., Tea-fight. 1876. R. M. Jephson, Girl he Left Behind Him, ch. 1. He had been having a grog-fight in his room to celebrate the event. Groggery, subs. (American).—A public bar; a grog-shop. Groggy, adj. (colloquial).—1. Under the influence of drink. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.