nog

Nog is a term with several uses, most commonly referring to eggnog, a traditional holiday beverage. Eggnog is a rich mixture of milk or cream, sugar, and beaten eggs, often flavored with vanilla and nutmeg and frequently fortified with alcohol such as rum, brandy, or bourbon. It may be served chilled or warmed and comes in both homemade and commercial forms. Variants include non-alcoholic versions and vegan preparations made with plant-based milks and egg substitutes.

Etymology and history are uncertain. One prevalent theory links nog to a small cup or measure, such as a noggin, from which the drink might have been poured. Another set of hypotheses connects the word to terms for strong drink or to early English phrases describing mixtures. The drink appears in North American sources in the 18th century, where it became associated with winter festivities and Christmas.

Beyond the beverage, nog has other uses in English. In carpentry and construction, nog or nogging refers to a small block or filler inserted between members of a frame to provide support or to fill gaps. In informal speech, noggin is a common synonym for the head, as in the colloquial expression “use your noggin.”

In summary, nog most often denotes eggnog, a dairy-based festive drink with regional and recipe variations, while the term also appears in construction vocabulary and in slang related to the head.